“How did I do?” When his eyes meet mine finally, there’s fear in them and it cracks me open to the core of my being. None of this is going even a little bit like I’d predicted. I’ve spent years believing he didn’t want this. “Do you think she likes me?”
Insecurity laces through his voice so thick I want to cry. You know, if I were a crier.
“I think she likes you.” I assure him. It’s obvious he does want this.
“Good. Okay, I wasn’t sure for a bit there. I kinda blacked out.”
I burst out laughing, step closer and pat his chest, the muscle hard to the touch beneath his t-shirt. He freezes and his eyes flicker to my palm.
“Thank you, Xan. For being good about this.”
He leans into my touch and I want to step in closer. The magnetism of his body lures me in but I fight hard to let my hand fall.
“Of course. But I have to ask...Now what?”
The heavy sigh is mine to bear this time.
“I don’t know.”
The meaning behind the words hangs between us like fog. Everything we’ve ever believed about each other had been a lie. And not a small fib or a simple misunderstanding. An fully orchestrated life altering lie.
His fists curl at his sides and a handsome scowl settles on his dark features. This is his thinking scowl as I used to call it. Anytime he thought about something that pissed him off this exact expression appeared. Then I would crawl into his lap and take his face in my hands, forcing eye contact.
The moment we were locked on each other it would all wash away, and he’d be back to himself cocky grins and hard kisses.
This time I duck into his line of sight, keeping my hands to myself, but it doesn’t change anything. He’s angry and I’m about to ask him why when he steps up to me, towering over me like he always did.
“Why would they do this to us, Briggs?”
My bottom lip quivers slightly as it hangs open. The question is one that has been weighing my head down with heavy frustration since the moment I realized Xan didn’t know about Millie.
“I don’t know,” I answer.
And I really don’t.