Page 19 of Fast & Reckless
“Hey.” He reached across the table and laid his hand over hers. She froze, staring down at those long, elegant fingers, curled loosely over hers, and tried not to think about the rush of heat it sent to every last corner of her body. As suddenly as he’d touched her, his hand slid away again. “You were a kid. Kids make mistakes.”
She blinked, still staring at her hand, where a moment ago, he’d been touching her. There had been a few guys since that early heartbreak, but none of them had managed to set her on fire with a casual brush of his fingers the way Will did. She’dcompletely lost her place in the conversation. But there he was across the table, as beautiful and unbothered as always, and she had to remind herself that while every look and touch he sent her way was enough to put her into heart failure, it was quite obviously not the same for him. She’d better remember that before she let him make a fool of her.
“I knew what I was doing,” she said at last. Then she smiled wryly. “Or at least I thought I did.”
“And you’ve been punishing yourself for this ever since?”
“I’ve beenlearningfrom it. There’s a difference.”
“Ah … it’s all becoming clear now.”
“What is?”
He waved his fork at her. “This uptight look of yours.”
“What? I’m not—”
Will leaned forward, like he was telling her a secret. “Because it doesn’t seem quite you. I get the feeling there’s more to you than making those freakishly tidy lists of yours. Where did you learn to write like that anyway? It’s not normal, Mira.”
“It’s not … my lists are … my handwriting isn’t …”
“Mistakes sometimes make us better. I’m a better driver after the mistakes I made in my first year.”
She speared a piece of rigatoni with more force than necessary. “Look, let’s agree—you handle things your way, I handle things mine. Just as long as your way doesn’t jeopardize Lennox, I won’t give you a hard time about it.”
In an instant, Will sobered. “I’d never harm the team. I hope you know that. I worked too hard to get back here.”
She dropped her eyes to her plate, fiddling with her fork. “I know you did.”
“I’m guessing you’ve been working hard to get back here, too?”
She nodded. “It’s all I want.”
“Really?” he said, leaning in and hitting her with that criminally hot mischievous grin again. “It’sallyou want?”
The butterflies in her stomach started up their fluttering again. His attention was a potent drug, and she was going to miss it when it was inevitably drawn off by other, more attractive, more available options. Because as much as she wanted to indulge in this feeling—a feeling she hadn’t experienced in a very long time—she just couldn’t.
“You are relentless,” she murmured.
“You have no idea,” he said in a low rumble that made her thighs clench. “And look, it worked.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You’re out with me.”
“This doesn’t count.”
He looked around in fake confusion. “We’re out. There’s wine and candlelight. I’m pretty sure this counts.”
“Whatever. You know what I mean.”
He broke into a laugh. “I know, I know. But, Mira?”
“Yeah?”
He nudged forward again, so she leaned in, too. His face was just a few inches away, and she fought to keep her eyes on his, and not look at his mouth.
“Just so you know,” he said quietly. “If you ever want to finish that kiss, I’m ready when you are.”
