Page 56 of Ice Princess

I didn’t understand him at all.

But I do have eyes.

And even if I don’t understand Gunner Kinsey, it’s very,veryobvious that he’s upset about something.

“Is it because you don’t want me to come to the dinner?”

Surprise enters his gaze and he whips around to look at me.

I guess I hit the nail on the head.

“Wow. Look at us.” A dry laugh bubbles free. “We arenevergoing to convince your mom we’re into each other if we keep going like this. Why did we agree to this arrangement when we both can’t stand each other? We were setting ourselves up to fail.”

Gunner turns his attention back to the road. More silence. More jaw clenching. What did I expect?

My entire life, I’ve struggled to be seen as more than a pretty face. I’ve longed for a guy who didn’t make me uncomfortable by confessing his feelings. Longed for someone who didn’t constantly tell me how pretty I am and how good I look on his arm, as if being eye candy is the beginning and end of my value.

Gunner fits that bill to a T, but I guess I traded one extreme for another. Not only does henotfind me attractive, but he genuinely, truly hates me down to his bones.

“There’s no way we can pretend to be in love. It’s impossible.” Shaking my head, I add, “Forget it. Just drop me off on the side of the road.”

“No,” Gunner grunts.

So he finally speaks.“April is probably out with Chance right now. I’ll ask her to pick me up and you can give your mom an excuse. Tell her I have an upset stomach or something.”

The jaw flexing gets worse and this time, it’s joined with an aggravated swipe of his tongue across his lips.

“Gunner.”

He flicks the indicator and the car screeches as he yanks the steering wheel to the left. I grip my seatbelt, my heart flying to my throat, but he parks safely on the side of the road.

I’m annoyed and frustrated, but there’s also some disappointment in there too. I’m not sure what the disappointment is for, but Idoknow that I need to get out of this car.

The seatbelt whirrs as I unclip it and free myself from the passenger seat. My fingers stretch out to snap the handle.

Before I can open the door, I hear Gunner’s seatbelt whirring too and a moment later, his strong fingers grip my chin, turning my head so I have to face him. Then he pushes forward with a fierce look in his eyes, sweeps his mouth over mine and kisses me.

CHAPTER

EIGHTEEN

GUNNER

The first timeI ever thought of kissing Rebel Hart, I was twelve years old. Rebel came to the farm with her mom and I watched her from afar.

She played in the daisy field, stringing together a daisy chain and weaving flowers in her hair. The sky had been the exact color of her eyes and I thought she was an angel.

Her laughter had been a symphony in my ears and though I knew I couldn’t talk to her anymore, I really wanted to run out and join her.

Rebel lifted one of the plucked sunflowers to her lips and kissed it, probably making a wish. I’d, desperately, made a wish of my own. It was to be the sunflower in her hands.

The next time I thought of kissing Rebel Hart wasn’t so innocent.

I was eighteen years old and at Buddy White’s birthday party.

Buddy had a huge crush on Rebel back then, so obviously, she’d been invited too. After a while, Buddy suggested we all play truth, dare or kiss.

It was a childish spin on the game of ‘truth or dare’, and it was designed for Buddy to make a move on Rebel, one she couldn’t easily back out on.

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