Page 93 of In the Defensive Zone with My Enemy

A tap on my shoulder interrupts my thoughts. I turn around to find Payton smiling at me. His blue eyes sparkle at me, enhanced by the navy color of his fitted suit—an expensive-looking one, at that.

“Fancy a dance with a meager soul like me?”

I set my glass down on a nearby table. “I’d love to.”

He spins me out onto the floor, quite adept in his moves.

“Payton, you’re quite the dancer. Who taught you?”

He glances away for a moment. “My parents are the traditional sort. My siblings and I were required to learn.”

“How many siblings?”

“Two brothers and a sister.”

“That’s right. You shared that during your interview. But you never answered where you grew up.”

He scoffs. “Oh, it’s just a small blip on the map in England. Nothing to really talk about.”

Payton gave me the same brush-off when I did his interview. I haven’t had a chance to dig a little, but I suspect there is definitely more to this man than meets the eye.

His eyes shift to something over my shoulder.

“May I cut in?”

I stiffen at the sound ofLuke’s voice. This would be so much easier if we never spoke or had contact again. Considering his last words on the beach, I assumed that’s what he wanted. So why is he here, and why does he want to dance with me now?

Payton releases me, leaving me, once again, unpaired. “Of course.”

Luke nods, then takes his place, pulling me closer so that our bodies touch. The ache in my heart quadruples to be so close to him yet feel so far away. I drop my gaze, unable to look at him. I can’t face what I imagine I’ll find there.

Or won’t find.

“Sophie, are you going to look at me?” His voice rumbles out and wreaks more havoc with my heart.

“Why should I?” I glance to the side where Mia’s sitting on Ethan’s lap.

“Because I need you to see my face when I tell you how sorry I am.”

After he walked away, I imagined every scenario of him returning and saying those very words. In one of them, he fell to his knees, begging me to take him back, which made me feel very vindicated. But none of it was real.

Swallowing my nerves, my emotions, and the ache threatening to choke me, I draw my gaze upward. His thumb caresses my cheek as he brushes away a lock of hair from my face, and it’s all I can do not to close my eyes and lean into the warmth of his hand and relinquish my heart to him again.

As he searches my face, his eyes dart back and forth, appearing glassy as they do. Or could that be the reflection from the fairy lights draped around the room?

“You were right, Soph. I can’t move forward while focusing on the past.”

I work saliva into my parched mouth. “I’m glad you see that now.”

“My father and I are talking things out.”

My smile is tremulous but present, nonetheless. How can I not be ecstatic for him? “That’s great. I’m so happy for you and Kinsley.”

His expression shifts and turns more serious. “She’s the one who looked for him. He never even saw the article.”

“So your assumption?—”

“Was wrong.” He folds our clasped hands between us. “So very wrong… I’m so so sorry, Sophie. Will you forgive me?”

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