The Temptation of Lila and Ethan by Jessica Sorensen Read Free Book Online Page A

beg,” she says and then her face contorts with confusion as she frowns down at the ground. “At least from what I can remember I don’t.”
    I climb out of the truck and meet her around the front, aiming the keys over my shoulder to lock up the truck. We make our way across the parking lot beneath the heat of the sun and I pull my sunglasses down off my head to cover my eyes. I remain slightly behind her, checking out her ass and her lower back peeking out of her still-opened dress. Finally, I have to rip my gaze away and step up beside her, otherwise I’ll end up unable to keep my hands to myself.
    “You need to stop blacking out when you get drunk,” I say, nudging her playfully with my shoulder. “Drunk is okay, but getting so shit-faced you have no idea what you’re doing is really fucking bad, Lila. Even I’m not that bad.”
    “You’re not bad at all.” She attempts to smooth her hair down with her hand, but it only makes it stick up more. “You just pretend like you are. But deep down, you’re a really nice guy who likes to write in a journal.”
    “Hey, I told you that in confidence.” I scowl at her as we make our way up the steps to her second-story apartment. “You were never supposed to utter that aloud.”
    She pats her pockets for the keys. “Well, then you never should have told me because I kind of have a big mouth.” Her arms fall to her sides and her eyes scan around her feet and then down the steps behind her. “Crap, I think I lost my keys.”
    “Okay… so go ask your landlord to unlock it for you. It’s not that complicated,” I say, shaking my head at her.
    “I can’t ask him.”
    “Why not?” I lean on the railing, squinting against the sunlight as I assess her.
    She lowers her chin, allowing her hair to fall in her face, like she doesn’t want me to see her expression. “Because… if I do… then he’ll ask me for rent.”
    “Why?” I ask. “Are you behind on it or something?”
    She peers up at me through her eyelashes. “I may or may not have paid the last couple of months,” she discloses, her forehead furrowing.
    “Why? You’re not broke.” I hate to say it, but it’s kind of obvious by the fancy clothes she’s always wearing. Hell, she’s got a platinum ring on her finger, for God’s sake.
    “But I am,” she insists, crossing her arms over her chest. “My dad canceled all my credit cards a while ago and I have only, like, eight hundred bucks left.”
    “Then pay your rent with it.” I gape at her. “Or pawn that ring on your finger.”
    Shaking her head, she covers the ring on her hand, looking almost panicked. “No way. This was a gift from someone I used to know.”
    “So you’d rather live on the streets than get rid of your gift?” I cock my eyebrow at her. “
Really?
”
    “Yes, really,” she says simply, her arms falling to her sides.
    I tighten my jaw, growing frustrated. “God damn it. You do this all the time, you know that. You need to start being more responsible…” My eyes widen. Holy fucking Jesus, Isound just like my father. Shit. He’s always lecturing my mom about her flaws. This is the reason why I don’t let myself get into relationships and I’m not in one with Lila, so why am I acting like this?
    She laughs scathingly and jabs her finger against my chest. “Oh, and like you are. You get drunk and sleep around and work in construction.”
    “Hey, I never claim to be responsible.” I lean in, lowering my voice, trying to shake off the feeling that I’m acting just like my dad.
No, this is different. You’re trying to help her, not control her
. “But I do work and pay my rent.”
    She huffs, stomping her foot and crossing her arms. It’s not the first time I’ve witnessed her temper tantrums when I don’t give in to her, but it still gets on my nerves as bad as the first time I saw her do it. “Ethan, will you please just help me out?”
    “How the fuck am I supposed to help you out?” I ask. “Pay your