Chapter 38

Agnes

I stared down at the book in my hands, feeling like my face was on fire. “I-I didn’t realize what it was,” I blurted out, desperately trying to cover up my embarrassment. “I-I must have grabbed it by mistake.”

Elijah glanced over at me. To my surprise, there was a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “Agnes, it’s alright. Remember your Luna lesson: you don’t have to explain yourself.”

I fiddled with the edge of the book’s glossy cover. My cheeks heated even more at the sight of the shirtless model on the front. “But I’m telling the truth. I don’t usually read... this sort of thing.”

He shrugged, his eyes returning to the road ahead. The light turned green, and he accelerated, the city turning into a blur around us. “And so what if you did? There’s nothing wrong with that.”

I shot him a sidelong glance, surprised. “You mean, you don’t mind?”

“Why would I?” he asked, glancing at me in the rearview mirror. “It’s still a book just like any other. Who cares if it has... ero