Page 132 of Bad Blood

“I don’t know—we could die?” She bites out. Another whip of lightning fills the sky, and thunder crashes seconds later, echoing her point.

“Like that’s ever stopped me before,” I tease as I pull her down the stairs and into the street. She doesn’t resist, but her hand remains floppy in mine.

I turn to face her, bowing. “May I have this dance?” The water cascades down my face, making it hard to see her through my saturated lashes.

“This is absurd. I don’t want to die.”

“Lighten up.” I pull her into my arms, and I swear I can feel her heart hammer against my chest as she closes her eyes and takes a long, steadying breath.

She wipes a hand over her face, smearing mascara. She swallows, her gaze landing on my lips.

I want her to let her guard down, but not under these circumstances. Flirting is off-limits, especially knowing how Liam feels about the situation. A part of me wants to be reckless, to say screw it. But I shouldn’t.

And the look she’s giving me—begging me to let her off the hook and take control of the situation—is doing nothing for my willpower and restraint. She doesn’t know how Liam feels about this. And that I promised I wouldn’t cross that line. I don’t want to betray his trust, but she’s not making it easy.

My heart somersaults as gentle hands cradle my face in an act of agreement.

“I want to try something.” I swallow. Hard.

Her eyes flutter closed, and her lips part.

But I can’t. What was I thinking? I don’t know how I find the determination not to kiss her, but I do, and I feel triumphant. I need all green lights; right now, all I have is red.

“We shouldn’t. I’m sorry,” I whisper into her ear.

“You’re right.” Rain pelts us as she pinches her mouth into a straight line and yanks away from me.

“It’s not you. It’s Liam,” I offer as an explanation, reaching for her as she protects herself with her arm and heads back to her brownstone.

Liam. Liam. Liam.

It takes everything in me not to march over to her, pull her in my arms, and show her how badly I want to pretend I didn’t say those words. I let Liam’s face fill my mind. I won’t do this to him. The last thing I need is another reason for him to be pissed at me. And I shouldn’t put her in a position where she has to choose.

“Nice play on words,” she says as I stop on the bottom step.

“If we were in another time or place, I wouldn’t think twice. But we’re not, so we shouldn’t.”

“Right.” Understanding overrides her frustration. She pulls on the hem of her scrubs and twists the water out of it.

“I’ll see you at his appointment—ouch, shit.” I shield my face from the rain as it turns into pellet-sized hail.

She chuckles and motions to her place. “Let me call you a cab.”

It doesn’t take much convincing this time. I’m all for a refreshing walk to clear my mind, but I’m not okay with bruises.

I race up the steps, my arms doing a piss-poor job of shielding me from the storm.

“Did Liam say why he didn’t answer my calls?” She stops in the open doorway and extends a hand, ushering me in before her.

“Didn’t want to talk to anyone.” I stand in the foyer, dripping onto the black-and-white checkered tile. I feel bad about it, but I’m in her house again, so there’s not too much guilt.

“He’s not the only one.”

“That’s not an excuse. I was worried something bad had happened to him.” As the words tumble from my mouth, I know I’ve said too much. There’s too much to explain, and not much of it makes sense.

She wipes at her cheeks, rubbing away the black lines of mascara. “Like what?”

I should have figured my comment wouldn’t go unnoticed.

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