Read Online A Moment of Truth: A Complete Bonus Set (A Matter of Trust #1-2) by Q. T. Ruby - Free Book Online

carry on our conversation. I’m happy to just talk with you.”
    I consider it for a moment. Can I do this? I raise an eyebrow at him. “Talk, huh?”
    “Yeah. Honestly.”
    He glances from the road to me, anxious for a reply.
    So long as I keep myself in check, I’ll be okay. Yes, I can do it. “Okay, so here’s the deal, Dan. Drive to my apartment. If my roommates aren’t home yet, you can come in. But if they’re home, then we’ll say good-bye downstairs.”
    “Fair enough,” he says with a satisfied smile.
    After making sure we’ve ditched the paparazzi, we pull up outside my building. I glance up at my windows and . . . the lights are off. Oh boy.
    “Well?”
    “They’re still out. Let’s go.” With a deep breath, I silently pray, Dear Lord, please keep me from getting naked.
    After circling the block a few times, we find a spot, and then walk to my building. We head up the stairs into the small, third-floor apartment that I love. Art prints and photos complement the warm colors on the walls. Our mix of cozy yet modern furniture is arranged to maximize the small space. Gauzy, white drapes hang over the long wooden shades in the living room. It’s always felt like a home rather than an apartment to me. Luckily it’s relatively neat.
    I lead the way in, flipping on a light in the teeny galley kitchen on the right. “Would you like something to drink?”
    “No, thank you.” Dan walks right past me to examine the photos displayed in every nook and cranny of the living room.
    I switch on a lamp in the living room and simply stare at Mr. Beautiful wandering about. Wow, he’s in my apartment. Nervous yet excited, I clear my throat. “Well, this is going to sound just as bad as what you suggested earlier, but . . . since I’d rather not have my roommates know you’re here, we’ll have to hang out in my bedroom—just in case they come home. Is that okay?” I immediately realize what a silly question it is.
    He nods quickly, taking a few swipes across the back of his neck. “Yeah, no worries.”
    I am so inviting disaster.
    I lead the way to my room, which connects to the living room by only a few footsteps. Dan closes the door behind us while I turn on a stained-glass bedside lamp that casts a muted pink hue. I slip off my coat as he examines a photo on my dresser.
    “Those are my brothers,” I say, hanging my coat in my closet.
    “You don’t look much alike.”
    I walk over and peer over his shoulder at the photo. Soap, shaving cream . . . gah! “What do you mean?” I already know exactly what he means.
    “Well, you have creamy, pale skin, and they’ve got an olive skin tone. They’ve got dark brown eyes, and yours are . . .” He leans in to verify, his sweet, warm breath heating my face. I start to sway, but catch myself before I accidentally knock into his nose.
    “ . . . Like a steely blue; even the shape is different. They’re beautiful,” he says, his eyes lingering on mine.
    “Thank you,” I say, breaking our gaze to look back at the photo. A blush flares up yet again. What was I thinking? This is a terrible idea.
    He studies the photo again, too. “They’re rather large, aren’t they?”
    I giggle at the hint of fear in his voice. “Yes, and they are a bit protective.”
    “Yeah, well, I’ll remember that,” he says, gently placing my brothers back on the dresser.
    “You can take your jacket off, you know.” You can take everything off while you’re at it . . . Actually, no. No getting naked.
    “Right.” He shrugs it off. Walking over to the lounge chair that sits in the corner stacked with academic journals and textbooks, he lays it across the back. I kick off my shoes.
    He picks up a book and flips through it. “I enjoy reading, but do you actually read these for pleasure?”
    I smile wide. “No, those are for reference.”
    “Thank God.” He grins, placing it back down, and begins studying a large photo collage that hangs on the wall by the chair. “Who are