Page 124 of Silver Sweet

Obviously, I shouldn’t be making a big deal out of it since Phoenix is acting like he brought me a guitar pick. Maybe he does this for everyone in his life who drinks too much and makes an absolute fool of themselves.

I just don’t know ifIdeserve it.

Mister Feathers lets out a sudden high-pitched, “Come here! Come here!”

Phoenix tries not to appear unsettled, but the minute an incessant, metal tapping noise begins, he cringes. “That is creepy as fuck.”

“You’re thinking about the cockatoo all wrong.”

“Please explain.” He places his backpack on my bed.

“He’s drumming against the cage. He loves sound and loves the company of others. He’s basically?—”

“You?”

“Ha-ha. I was going to say aperformer.”

“So you,” he deadpans.

I give him a middle finger while I debate locking my bedroom door. Do I need to? No,no.If one of my brothers barges in here, it’s fine. I’m not hooking up with Phoenix.

Nothing can happen.

I made that very clear last night. To him and myself. My stomach is a pretzel as I walk away from the unlocked door.

Phoenix plugs in the charger to the outlet beside my bed and connects his phone. He unties each boot, then pries them off before he brings his legs up to my black comforter. I watch him shrug off his motorcycle jacket. His very tight long-sleeved tee molds to the mountains and valleys of muscle along his arms.

Before he catches me staring, I untwist the cap to the Pedialyte. “Thanks,” I tell him and guzzle half the bottle before setting it on my nightstand with the bananas.

Phoenix’s eyes flit over me as he grabs his journal. “We should talk about last night.”

My lips vibrate under an explosive breath. Mortified heat expands through my chest. “Yeah.Yeah. Dude. Last night was not my best. I can admit I drank too much after I saw you kissing Big Red.”

Phoenix glares. “I want to appreciate the honesty, but the fuck—Big Red?”

“I’m not talking about his dick size.”

“No shit.”

“He was as tall as you,” I clarify. “Hey, that means you’re basically Big Bir?—”

“Finish that sentence, and I will walk out of this room.” He closes his journal and rises to his feet to emphasize the threat.

I smile, but it fades fast when last night replays in my head. All jokes aside, the bitter jealousy still sours my stomach worse than the hangover.

Phoenix studies my expression. “You remember the part where I said I only kissed him because I was hurt, and it was a mistake on my part?”

“Yeah,” I nod, tensed.

“I’m sorry,” he says.

“Me too. I was also hurt, and texting RJ was a mistake on my part. So yeah, I’m really sorry for dragging you through a dramatic, drunken night.”

“I’ve dragged people through worse.” He doesn’t elaborate, and by the pain in his eyes, I don’t know if I want to pry right now. I’m assuming it has to do with his arrest.

I just nod again.

Phoenix pops a couple knuckles, then sets his intense gaze on me. “I’m going to be really honest with you at the risk of making this weird between us.”