“He was Irish,” I correct, my voice soft.
Perry’s expression tightens. “I hate this guy.”
“That makes two of us.”
His expression is thunderous as he watches me. He almost looks…jealous?
“You’ve got shitty men in your life.”
“My brothers aren’t so bad.”
“I don’t see them helping you out.”
“They have their own lives to lead. Their own reasons to escape our parents,” I say. “I don’t hold that against them.”
“I do. I think they’re assholes,” he spits out.
“They’re not so bad once you get to know them,” I say gently. Maybe Perry believes I’m not so bad once he gets to know me too? “Sometimes you can act like an asshole.”
“When?” he asks incredulously.
“At the engagement party, when you spotted the bruises.” What am I doing? It’s like I want to get a rise out of him. And from the anger I see flaring in his gaze, I’m fairly certain it’s working.
“Like I told you, I was trying to protect you.”
“Well, now you’ve got me. The two of us living in sin all alone in this gorgeous penthouse apartment.” I throw my arms out wide, indicating the room, the entire place. “You’re benefiting yet again.”
“I’m not benefiting from anything.” His voice is flat, his gaze going to the window.
I stare at his golden profile, trying to ignore the way my heart starts to race the longer I look at him.
He’s almost too pretty to be real.
“What do you mean, you’re not benefiting?”
“All that talk of sin doesn’t mean shit, since you won’t let me touch you.” His gaze finds mine once more and I go completely still at the flickering flame I see in his blue depths.
My mouth drops open and I ignore Doja when she makes her way toward me and winds her slinky body around my calves. “I assumed you didn’t want to touch me.”
It was all for show, right? He doesn’t like me, not really. Most men don’t.
“You know what happens when you assume.”
We’re both quiet, but I can feel something grow between us, until it steals all of the oxygen out of the room, making it difficult for me to breathe.
Awareness.
Of each other.
Dare I even think it’s mixed with a hint of…
Attraction?
No.
Yes?
Definitely.