Page 47 of Burning Daylight
My chest pulls.
“Don’t do that,” I say.
Her brows jump high. “Do what?”
I point at her face. “Be mad at me. I didn’t do anything wrong.”
“I didn’t say you did.”
“This is for the best, you know? I’m fucked up.”
She grins a little. “Nobody’s arguing that fact.”
I take a step closer.
She moves back, narrowing her eyes.
“You just said this was for the best.”
“Yeah, well, you weren’t supposed toagreewith me,” she snaps.
I throw my hands in the air. “Well, what the fuck do I look like, a mind reader?”
My outburst makes her pause, and her lips twitch before she starts to laugh; a giant, bent-over, arm-across-her-stomach, tears-streaming-down-her-face kind of laughter.
It’s infectious enough that it makes me laugh, too.
“God, this was a terrible idea,” she says, pressing her hand to her head. “We argue like a married couple.”
I smirk, even though my chest is tight. “You say that like you don’t start all the fights.”
She groans. “You’reinfuriating.”
“Don’t regret this,” I demand. “Don’t regret us.”
Her gaze softens. “How can I regret someone I don’t know and something that never happened?”
She’s right, and I know she’s right, but it doesn’t make the disappointment any smaller.
I kick at the gravel with the tip of my shoe. “Didn’tfeellike something that never happened when you were coming around my fingers and moaning.”
Her breath falters and she lifts her chin.
“Maybe I’ll see you around?” I ask, because it’s what I always ask her.
She bites her lip. “Doubtful.”
I don’t know why the word feels heavier this time around, but it does. It feels like…a door closing. I press my lips together, feeling a little sick at the reminder of who she might be and where she’s from.
Still, I can’t stop myself.
“You never know,” I say, trying to keep it light. “Might make a special trip, just for you.”
She huffs. “Be serious.”
“Okay.” I slip my hands into my pockets. “So I guess we’ll leave it to fate, then.”
She grins softly. “What, like chance?”
