Page 114 of Reverse

“It was just a what-if type of thing. I never expected anyone to see it.”

“But you wantedmeto see it.”

“I wanted you to know I understood your stance, and if I had the chance to plead your case for keeping your private lifeprivate, that’s how I would have written it.”

“So that’s why?”

I dip my chin. “Yes, of course. I wanted you to know that I understood.” In my periphery, I see the first longhorns gather behind the fence across the street. “Oh, look! It’s happening.”

I jump to my feet, and Easton slowly joins me before we walk over to the iron partition separating us from the rapidly crowding street. Crouching low enough where we won’t be seen, Easton opts to stand just behind me, my shoulder resting against his chest, his scent surrounding me as heat drips down my back. He whisks one away with his thumb at the top of my jeans, and my lips part at the gentleness of his touch. Hyper-focused on what parts of him are touching me, I try to concentrate on the commotion behind the gate as Easton begins the slow sweep of his thumb along my spine.

Thoroughly seduced and his lips just inches away, my pulse quickens as he pulls the damp hair away from my neck and blows. Closing my eyes, I try to inhale some restraint, refusing to look his way.

“It’s starting,” I rasp out, nodding toward the street, Captain Obvious diarrhea spewing freely.

Easton continues to sweep his thumb along my back as the cowboys make a small show of lassoing ropes overhead and begin to usher the massive steers onto the street. The parade lasts only a few minutes, and I frown before turning to Easton to see his face equally drawn up in confusion. A second later, we burst into incredulous laughter.

“That was so fucking anticlimactic!” I huff as we head back to the table. “Glad we didn’t come out of pocket for that.”

Easton shrugs. “I think it was just about the experience of seeing something so Old World in the new one.”

“I get that, but,” I look around and wipe my brow, “maybe not worth sitting in Texas hellfire for two hours to wait for it.” I lift my hair and wave a hand to cool my neck off.

“But you had fun, didn’t you?”

Our eyes meet and hold. “I always have fun with you.”

“Good,” he murmurs before reaching out and scooping me into his lap to straddle him. Shocked by the public display, I quickly glance around and am stopped by his gentle palm when he cups my face. “I can fucking do anything with you as long as you’re looking at me the way you are right now.” His expression arrests me, keeping me immobile as his voice and words reverberate through me.

“Easton,” I manage to breathe out as the world around us inevitably fades away in contrast to him.

“I called you the second time because I remembered how this felt, and I wanted to feel this way again. It’s that simple.”

“It’s so not simple,” I argue breathlessly as I move to get up, and he pins me gently with his palms covering my thighs.

“Then it’s time for a fight,” he declares roughly.

“We don’t have to fight, we agreed—”

“No. You decided. I allowed it because you could have turned me down flat yesterday, but you didn’t. You didn’t turn me down knowing full well that I would want to—and try to—kiss you . . . touch you . . . fuck you.” He grips my chin tightly before lifting it to brush his finger along my neck. “I don’t have the urge to call my friends and share my highs and lows. I don’t miss them with an ache so deeply etched inside that it keeps me awake at night, and I sure as fuck don’t drive for hours in hopes they’ll spend a few days with me. And I definitely don’t jerk off to the image of them coming on my cock. I don’t feel this way for my friends, Natalie—close or otherwise—so I dare you to call me yourclose friendagain,” he warns. “I fucking dare you.”

“It’s all we can be, okay?” I whisper with a clear shake in my voice.

“Well, if friendship is all you’re offering, you’re a shitty friend to start with because those I claim as friends would have at least answered the goddamned phone.”

“I explained this before I left Seattle. You didn’t read the emails—”

“You mean the emails that are nearly three decades old and might not even hold any relevance to any of us here and now?”

I shake my head. “You don’t know what you’re saying. It still haunts me. Every day. Maybe if you read them—”

“It’s history, Natalie.”

“It’s our parents who almostmarriedeach other’s history, Easton.” I fire back. “If you would just read them—”

“I look at you, and honestly, I just don’t give a fuck. It physically fucking hurt me when you slammed that door on me.”

“It hurt me, too. But please understand, I still can’t do this with you.”

---