“I refuse to let you talk me into a make-out session in a dodgy, underground tunnel. I have standards, you know.”

“Whoa, this isn’t the Training Center, you know,” I tell him. “There’s a certain level of clothing etiquette in this house, and you’re currently violating it.”He reaches for his jacket. “I believe you’re the one who tore my clothes off in the first place, and now you’re complaining?” “Trust me, there was no tearing involved. You’ll have to get that fantasy fulfilled somewhere else.”

“I would have thought you’d pay more attention to your closest competition.”“I would—if you were competition worth paying attention to.”

“I put my hands on my hips. “What’s wrong with the way I look?”“Come on, Vi,” he says, keeping his voice low. “You just need to add your boots and you’re like the forest version of Lara Croft.”“Excuse me? Lara who?”“I mean, it’s really sexy and everything.” He pulls me closer and slips his arms around my waist. “But it’s not exactly the way I’d want you to meet my mom.”

“You guys dated, didn’t you?”“Are you insane? Not even if the continuation of our kind depended on it would I be tempted to do something so awful.”

“Did you really think I wouldn’t look for you?”“Honestly? Yes. You seemed a little busy losing your tongue down someone else’s throat.”

“The bathroom door swings open and Nate walks out. He’s toweling his damp hair and wearing nothing but a pair of boxers. Crap. I should have left this for a more appropriately clothed time of day.”