Chapter 1

"And you're not afraid, then?"

"I'm not. I dream of not only touching you, but loving you."

"Shut up, please."

"So will you kiss me?"

"Of course not!"

Ruslan grimaces. Pretty and arrogant before he's even eighteen.

And he has a lot more experience than I do, though I'd never admit it.

Cupping my cheeks in his hands, he presses his mouth to mine and tries to kiss me, but he has no experience with being refused, and the kiss comes out clumsy and painful.

"Shit, I can do better. Really."

"Leave."

"Alice..."

"Go to hell, Marjanov! You almost knocked my tooth out. Go back and practice on your girlfriends!"

"You're still going to be with me!"

I almost laugh with anger as I wipe my bitten lip with my palm.

"With you? For how long? A week? A month? How long do you usually date girls?.. Until you've satisfied your curiosity? Or until you've proved to your friends how cool you are?"

"I don't."

"You're lying! I grew out of fairy tales like that a long time ago."

"Fine. Until I get what I need. Happy?"

My anger cools. His inky eyes are flashing, but this battle won't lead anywhere, and this time I manage to push him away and move back from the door.

"Well, at least that's honest. Now leave, Ruslan, and get me out of your head. Or I'll move out of here and come back only after you grow up. Really grow up, enough to stop playing with me."