Page 89 of The Heir's Bargain

Earlier tonight, I had thought that maybe, just maybe, Dani felt the same about that kiss that I did. I thought I had seen a flash of something slip through her tightly sealed walls, but I couldn't be sure.

She never used to be so closed off. When we were children, she was an open book. But at some point, things had changed. I didn't know when. I didn't know why. All I knew was that as we grew up, her walls grew taller.

I would do anything to tear down those walls now, though.

"What are you thinking about?" I asked.

At first, I wasn't sure she would answer as the silence deepened. But then she whispered, "What are we doing?" The question was almost too faint on her lips, and I was unsure I had heard it until her fingers flexed around the windowsill.

That was not the response I had been hoping for. Still, I chuckled, but the once easy sound felt too heavy, too forced. "Standing here?"

"No, Fynn. What are we doing?"

"I—" The words disappeared on my tongue. I didn't want to lie to her, but I also couldn't fabricate a story that wasn't entangled with the truth. I couldn't tell some joke or brush off her question with a smug smirk or a wave of my hand because, in truth, I didn't know what we were doing. I didn't know what I was doing.

All I knew was that I needed to be by her.

Dani shifted on her feet, her hazel eyes wide as she peered up at me. "You want to know what I'm thinking?"

There's nothing I want more, Ferrios, is what I wanted to say, but I only nodded.

Her nails tapped the windowsill. "I’m trying to figure out why you kissed me."

I blinked.

"Was it for show?" Dani asked as she turned to face the sea.

I mimicked her as if we would find the answer somewhere in the depths of the water.

I could have blamed the kiss on the alcohol.

I could have blamed it on the need to make everyone else believe we were a real couple.

But I would have been lying if I had said any of those things.

Because, while the buzz of the wine had dissipated long ago, I still wanted to recreate that kiss even if there was no one here to put on a show for.

There was only Dani.

Only my best friend.

And maybe, if I could be honest with myself, I could be frank with Dani, too.

I took in a deep breath. When I exhaled, I let out the truth that I had been harboring inside since that first kiss outside the tavern. "No, Dani," I said, shaking my head. "I kissed you because I wanted to."

With her gaze fixed on the sea, her hands tightened around the edge of the window, gripping the wood. "Why?"

This version of Dani was new—the one who doubted herself, the one who didn't see that I now craved the taste of cinnamon in my tea. And as cute as she was, this wasn't the Dani I knew.

This wasn't my Dani.

"Look at me."

When she refused, I shook my head in amusement. Reaching out, I finally brushed that incessant loose curl behind her ear. My finger trailed down her jaw, light and soft. Curling it beneath her chin, I turned her head toward me. "You are absolutely vexing."

Her lips parted, but no words escaped.

"There is no other explanation or reason. I could tell you I kissed you because we were in front of hundreds of people who expected us to. I could tell you I kissed you because we needed to make them believe. I could tell you that I kissed you because it is what two people courting each other do. But if I told you any of these things, they would all be lies. I kissed you because I wanted to. Plain and simple."

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