“You know the …” He tugs his arm again, like he’s somehow forgotten again that he’s handcuffed. “Pew pew.”

“Pew pew?”

“Don’t make me say it.”

“Oh. So that’s your line, is it? Not doing it, but saying it.”

“It’s possible I may have some regrets.”

Instead of the anger I’m expecting at that, a secret little part of me is relieved. “Some, huh?”

“Well, let’s face it. If my aim had been a smidge to the left, none of this would be happening right now.”

My eyes almost fall out of my skull. “Wait.” I have to remind myself not to laugh because this whole fucking thing is so absurd I think my brain is done. “Your regret is that you didn’t kill me? Not that you tried to?”

“It’s a natural feeling. Nothing personal, of course.”

“Right. Because how could I possibly take that personally?”

“Not you taking it personally. It wasn’t personal, to me. I have nothing against you. When I said you were my favorite customer, I wasn’t lying. You’re a, umm, cool guy.”

Something about the way he fumbles over that gets my attention. Am I pissed? I should be. He just said he wishes I was dead right now, but apparently, I’m dumber than he is because the feeling is nowhere to be found. Instead, a smirk crosses my face. “A cool guy with a pretty mouth?”

“I-I panicked.”

“Like you did with dood gay?”

The way he squirms in his seat shouldn’t be so appealing. “I get flustered easily,” he says, voice squeaking that bit higher than usual.

“Flustered?”

“My mouth is stupid. A big idiot. Don’t trust a word that comes out of it.”

“Like our pinky swear?”

He hurries to shake his head. “No, no, that was sacred.”

“But I don’t have a pretty mouth?”

For the first time since he got here, Perry looks torn and uncertain. If I’d known it was this easy to knock him out of that chill persona, I probably would have teased him sooner. “I dunno, man. They’re … very … umm … pink.”

“Pink?”

“And I didn’t know that little bow thing was a real thing you could have without makeup.”

“Bow?”

“So, sure. Some people might, like, think that’s pretty. Handsome? Sexy? I don’t know, but I can see the appeal is all I’m saying.”

Sexy?

I’m about to cross all fuck it lines and ask him if he’s ever been with a man before, but my door opens suddenly before I get the chance.

Lars slams it behind him, and he looks pissed.

It takes me a second to remember why.

Right.

Potential murder.

Guys with guns.

Perry being a dangerous assassin and not at all the adorable puppy my libido is trying to turn him into.

I clear my throat and quickly straighten, subtly putting more distance between us.