“I have never met a more stubborn woman in my entire life.”
Holding back a painful cringe, I quipped, “Charming, isn’t it?”
“More like really fucking irritating.”
“Flattered. Thank you—hey!”
The ground under my feet disappeared as James swept me up into his arms, popping a shriek out of me as he adjusted his hold with a quick shift. My arms flailed around his neck out of sheer instinct, locking myself to him and bringing his face right in front of mine.
I blinked at him, taken aback. “I didn’t say you could pick me up.”
James cocked his head slightly. “Would you like me to count the fucks that I give out loud?”
A burst of laughter stuck in my throat, and my mouth quivered as I tried to hold onto my piquing temper.
This fucking guy.
Being so close to him, and with the sun accentuating the gold in his stare, made it really difficult to be willfully stubborn. Especially as those shining eyes dropped to my mouth as he watched me struggle not to laugh.
Eventually, and because I didn’t have the time to waste, I gave in.
“I would, but can you give it to me in Spanish?”
“Sure.” James nodded, playing right along. “Whatever you want.”
We stared at each other, faces not even a foot apart as I waited for him to start. The longer I waited, the harder it got to hold down the smile fighting up my cheeks.
“I’m waiting,” I reminded him.
His mouth popped open. “Oh, I’m finished.”
“Oh, I see.” My head bobbed as I nodded.“Because you give no fucks.”
Humor curled up one side of his mouth, eyes sparkling like liquid gold. “Look who’s catching on.”
“And look who’s found his funny bone.” I poked a finger to his chest, watching his eyes roll. He started walking again, me in his arms, and a lightness back in our conversation.
But only for a second.
“You seemed to have quite the reaction when I mentioned Rebecca.”
Oh yeah.That mindfuck.
“Uh…” Did he know I knew Rebecca? His voice was so even, I couldn’t tell either way if he was just asking to ask or asking because he already knew the answer and wanted to see if I would lie.
James said he didn’t like liars, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t one. He’d drugged me after all, so maybe it wasn’t too far-fetched to think my dad told James I knew the Vitalis, and that’s why he was the one taking me on this trip.
Daddy-fucking-dearest had been trying to pull whatever nuggets of dirt about Demitri and his family he thought he could get from me for two years now. Maybe since he’d never been successful, he tossed James into the ring to have his own go at it.
For Demitri’s sake, I’d play it safe.
“I don’t think I had a weird reaction.”
Reyes curved an eyebrow. “No?”
“Nope. I was just gobsmacked that anyone wouldn’t want to marry you with all you bring to the table.”
That, and reeling with the notion that he knew Rebecca, fucked Rebecca, loved Rebecca. The two were so polar opposite, I couldn’t picture it.