Page 88 of What I Should Have Known

“Window. I know. Wyatt’s waiting at the front door, so there’s no way I’m going that way.” He glanced back at me and picked up his shoes. Crawling across the bed, his lips brushed against mine. “If you do end up…” His voice paused as his grin widened. “Finishing things, please video call me.”

His kiss briefly pressed against mine and then he backed up off the mattress. “You want to see me take care of myself?” I asked as he padded quietly to my window.

“Obviously. That’s hot as fuck.” He winked and then flipped the lock.

I lifted my middle finger and closed my eyes. Of course he would think that.

And, if I was honest with myself, the idea of him watching, sounded a little exhilarating.

Inhaling deeply, I flopped back on my pillow, wanting at least one more minute where there was only Bernie and me.

Conversations with him from last night sifted into my mind like a butterfly in the summer. Drifting in and out, I couldn’t help but fall even harder into him. Despite his sometimes-crass humor, he really was a sensitive guy.

Someone with a past that I somehow knew ate him up. But I cared for him all the same regardless of it. Regardless of anything he’d ever done, I still wanted him. Still desired him. He made me feel alive. And like I was the only one in the world that mattered to him. As selfish as that sounded, that was what I wanted.

Crawling reluctantly from bed, I glanced at my now-closed window. I hadn’t even heard him shut it. Not a sound had danced into my ears from his escape, which was incredible considering how large of a man he was.

Quickly pulling on some underwear, I jumped into a pair of jeans, and a simple grungy shirt, then slipped out of my room while winding my messy hair up into a bun. My bare feet tapped down the stairs, where I could see Wyatt’s outline waiting in the doorway. Something about him seemed…different. But I wasn’t sure what it was.

“Hi,” I said once I hit the landing, and he turned around to face me.

“Hey. Where have you been?” Wyatt asked, stuffing his hands in his jeans pockets.

“Uh, upstairs in my room? Why?”

“You weren’t around like you usually are during morning chores.”

Furrowing my brows, I tipped my head. One side of me wanted to lash out. Expose him for all of the shit he was involved in. I wanted to rip him a new one, tell him off right now. The smell of him, the sight of him, him pretending to be concerned about my whereabouts made me nauseous.

But the other side of me reminded me that I couldn’t. Not just yet. “Is that why you’re here?” I asked, feigning innocence and attempting to keep my voice sweet.

He nodded, almost a little too quickly to be normal. “I was concerned. Your parents said Emma took you home early last night from the cookout or whatever you guys went to because you were feeling sick.”

“Oh.” I raised my brows and forced a smile on my face. “I’m doing better this morning. Stupid time of the month, if you know what I mean.” I inhaled deeply, catching a hint of the smell of rain.

“Okay, I’m glad. You’re still good to accompany me on Saturday, right?” he asked.

I nodded. “Of course. Thank you for being concerned, Wyatt. That means a lot.”

He flashed a smile, bouncing from foot to foot. “You’re welcome.” He turned around, but I shot a hand out, catching the sleeve to his button-down.

“Can I ask you something though?” I quickly said.

Pausing, he spun back around. “Sure.”

I drew a deep breath for encouragement, reminding myself that what I was about to ask, was to sell this charade even more. To hopefully keep all doubts about things at bay in Wyatt because, if roles were reversed, and my partner had suddenly become willing and asked for a date after years of saying no, I’d question why. So, I had to make sure he had no suspicions about us.

Yet.

“What changed?” I asked.

His brows furrowed, the shadow from his cowboy hat darkening his confusion. “Changed? What do you mean?”

“You never noticed me. You became friends with Sawyer long before you ever noticed me. You noticed Emma, talked with Emma with me standing right next to her before, but you never noticed me,” I began, and he shook his head.

“No, I noticed you.”

“After the inheritance situation. After your parents said you’d only get it once you were marriedto me. Then you noticed me. And I found out that you suggested marriage to me.” I paused as his brows flickered.

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