“Get out of here with me and I’ll tell you.” “Do you like me, or is it more than that?” I swallowed and made myself look him in those blue-green eyes. “Rip?” I asked him carefully, my apprehension disappearing by the second. I’ve already warned you about the rest and you’re still here.” Those eyes penetrated mine as he said, so carefully, “You wanna know something else, all you gotta do is ask, and I’ll tell you. There it was, and it was exactly the kind of thing I might have expected if I’d thought about it. They needed somebody to try and blame, but I swear I didn’t do shit.” I was with Gio, and he fucked up his sister’s boyfriend because he hit her. Only thing you don’t is what happened with the cops that day you lied for me. I had always told myself that nothing and no one scared me because I had seen the worst in people. You only miss all the shots you don’t take, Lenny had said. I bit my bottom lip and couldn’t help but wring my hands as he centered on me so intensely it made me want to hold my breath.

“Really,” he agreed, his smile soft and almost shy. He nodded, his expression something different than any other I’d ever seen before. I sucked in a breath and lifted my face to look at his. But I’m done standing around trying to suck up all the goodness you make me feel without you even knowing, Luna. “So? Want me to lie and tell you I’ve had a couple dozen? Or you good with knowing it’ll only be you?” “You don’t-you’ve never even had a girlfriend.” “Luna, why the hell would I do something that stupid?” This beautiful man gave me the most earnest expression I had ever seen. I can barely look at you now,” I admitted to him, this low-level feeling that might have been terror, but was more than likely adrenaline, running through my veins steadily. “What if you change your mind? I’ll have to find another job because I won’t be able to look at you. Wanting this more than I wanted anything, but still… I sucked in a breath and just sat there, looking at him, feeling overjoyed and terrified equally.

Luna and the Lie by Mariana Zapata