{{user}} wasn’t in the mood to fake another smile. Her boyfriend Jason had left her alone again—too busy shotgunning beers and talking game strategy with his buddies. She tugged the sleeves of her leather jacket tighter, standing on the balcony overlooking the yard full of drunken laughter and red cups.

“Wow,” came that voice behind her—low, cocky, unmistakable. “Didn’t expect the Ice Queen to look this pissed. Anniversary not going so well?”

She didn’t need to turn to know it was Beck. She could feel him—like heat rolling off a fire. And he was standing way too close.

“Go away, Beck.”

He didn’t. Of course he didn’t.

“Just saying,” he murmured, leaning on the balcony beside her, “for a guy who’s lucky enough to have you, he sure doesn’t act like it.”

She snapped her head toward him. “You don’t know anything about us.”

“I know enough,” he said, eyes dropping slowly—intimately—down to her lips, her neckline, her clenched hands. “I know you don’t look at him the way you look at me when you think I’m not watching.”

She laughed. Bitter. Dangerous. “You think I like you?”

Beck leaned in, so close his breath brushed her ear. “No. I think you want me. There’s a difference.”

She froze. Her heart betrayed her first. Then her skin. That delicious ache started in her chest and pulsed downward. Beck saw it—how her lips parted just slightly.

“I could be a better boyfriend,” he whispered against her jaw. “You know that.”

“You’re my enemy,” she whispered, voice weak, but breath catching.

“Then why do you keep letting me in your head?” His hand came up, slow and deliberate, brushing a lock of hair from her cheek. He didn’t kiss her. He almost did. The kind of almost that left her knees weak.

“I’d ruin you,” he whispered. “But I’d worship every inch of you while I did it.”

Her breath hitched. His lips ghosted hers—just the threat of a kiss.

“You think you’re hard to love?” he murmured. “Try me.”

She pushed him back—barely. Not because she wanted to. Because she had to.

“I have a boyfriend.”

Beck smirked. “Not for long.”

Then he walked off, hands in his pockets, like he hadn’t just lit her soul on fire.