Page 27 of Engaging with Her Enemy

“I'm not making any excuses for us. She's the one that wants to be friends.”

“She's the one making the excuses. For as much as she talks big, I think Becky is scared.” Cameron held his finger up to his lips, eyes wide. “Don't you dare tell her I told you that.”

Hudson laughed and picked up the medicine ball to do a round of squat tosses. It was too close to his own thoughts to agree with Cameron outright. The fear of failure kept her from trying academic things, like going to culinary school. But would the fear of failure keep her from trying out a relationship with him?

* * *

He knew.

Becky leaned back beside Hudson on the sofa, the casualness of their typical study session interrupted by some seriously pissed-off vibes rolling off the sexy, brooding man beside her. He knew about her date with Drew. There was no other reason for his sudden shift from light-hearted banter to Mr. Serious-Face.

She scowled at him.

He scowled back.

“What's your deal?” She tapped him on the forehead, right where his worry lines were. “You're giving yourself wrinkles.”

He poked her back on her forehead. “You, too. I want you to figure out the amortization of loans sometime this year, but you're not even trying.”

That was true. He'd gone over the same thing at least five times, and she still couldn't tell him what he wanted to know. With her insides knotted up, it amazed her that she could even form a coherent thought.

The date with Drew had been nice. He'd taken her to a good restaurant in the next town over, giving them plenty of time to talk on the way there and back. And ample opportunity for her to compare him to Hudson at every possible moment.

“I need a break.” She moved to get up, but his hand snaked out and caught her wrist, tugging her back down.

“No. You need to focus.”

Her eyes snapped to his. “That's my problem. Remember?” Her tone of voice sounded as nasty as his attitude.

“One week until your midterm, Becky. This isn't the time to start blaming your disability.”

Her mouth dropped open. He tracked the movement, a sudden snap of heat firing behind the brown eyes.

“I'm notblaminganything. It's my problem. It's why I needed you here. Although now you're just a pain in the ass. Been hanging out with Cameron too much.”

“I don't care if it makes you mad. I promised you that you'd pass this damn class, and you're going to, whether you want to study or not.” He rose quickly, leaving a vacant spot on the sofa that she fell toward. But his hands caught her by the shoulders, hauling her to her feet. Her mouth opened to shout, but he pressed a finger to her lips.

He leaned down, eye-to-eye. “You're smart, Becky. You could do this if you tried. You got depreciation, you can get amortization. Think of it as depreciation's second cousin. The one you smile and nod to at family reunions but avoid otherwise.”

She might have smiled at his joke, but the intimacy of his finger pressed against her lips shot right down into her gut. She wanted to throw the “friends” label out the window and nip at his finger.

Impossibly slow, he released his finger, his hand sliding along her cheek and resting at the nape of her neck. “We need a change of scenery. Somewhere new to study.” He straightened but didn't release her. His thumb grazed lazily over a spot right behind her ear. Somehow, she kept from closing her eyes and nuzzling his hand like a kitten. Her body settled for an audible sigh when his other hand joined in by stroking the other side of her neck. A torturous massage.

Her eyes closed on their own.

“Monday night, we'll go to Rhonda's. I'll see if we can reserve the back room. We can study there for a few hours. I need you to try and understand amortization tonight, though. It's the last major concept for the mid-term next Tuesday. Then we can do one major review.”

She nodded, her head feeling floppy in his hands. Big, warm hands that had moved on from her neck and began massaging her shoulders. How long had she been on her feet that day? Ten, maybe twelve hours.

He shifted, her eyes fluttered open only to close again as he began a full-on neck massage behind her. The moan that came from her throat didn't embarrass her too much. His hands were wonderful.

And so were his lips.

He pressed a kiss behind her ear.

Yes. Finally.

A second one along the column of her throat. She tilted her head to the side. What would he do if she turned in his arms, ignoring everything she'd promised herself about not messing up their friendship again?

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