My breath stopped when his face all of a sudden was close and his voice dipped low to say, “Yeah. That’s what I just did to you. I’m glad you finally get that. And that’s what I’ll keep doin’ to you. But prepare, Carrie, ’cause I’m also gonna fuck you and from what I just got outta you, I know you’re gonna like it.”

I started breathing, but erratically, and said nothing.

I apparently started breathing erratically and doing it visibly because he asked, “You want me to do that now?”

I totally did.

Unfortunately, I had to answer, “I’m moving today.”

He looked perplexed for a second like he forgot our plans for the day, which was cute and sweet. I’d never seen Joker be the former, and I liked it, but I had experienced him being the latter, and I’d always liked that.

Then his face cleared and he muttered, “Fuck.”

“Yes,” I agreed.

“We better do that,” he said.

I didn’t want to do that. My exhaustion had been swept away in the drama and lovemaking but now, especially after the drama, and most especially after the lovemaking, all I wanted to do was curl into his heat and go to sleep.

I couldn’t do that so I repeated, “Yeah, we better do that.”

He gave me a squeeze but didn’t let me go.

He looked deep into my eyes and said gently, “I should say I’m sorry I didn’t give you that after givin’ you a nice night out like you deserve. But I’m not sorry. Just in case shit twists for you, I wanna be sure it’s clear. I like that it went down in a way that I’ll never forget. I hope you’re over the shit that warped it for you because it’d mean a lot to me you feel the same.”

I closed my eyes, pressed closer, dipped my head, and pushed my face in his throat.

“I’m over that warped stuff,” I whispered there. “And I feel the same.”

“Good,” he murmured into the top of my hair. “Now, sucks, but we gotta move you.”

“Yes, it does suck.” I tipped my head back. “But then I’ll be moved. Travis and me will be safe and in a nice place. And that’ll be that.”

“Yeah,” he replied on a grin.

“So maybe you’ll kiss me so we can get on with that and get it over with,” I suggested.

“Yeah,” he repeated on a smile.

But he didn’t kiss me.

So I called, “Joker?”

“Carissa Teodoro in my arms in my bed askin’ me to kiss her,” he said quietly like he wasn’t talking to me and he couldn’t quite believe his words were true.

I felt my body grow still.

Then I forced the stillness out and rolled Carson “Joker” Steele to his back, with me on top, murmuring, “He won’t kiss me, I’ll kiss him.”

And I commenced in doing just that.

Lucky for me, Carson “Joker” Steele liked it.