Page 69 of The Scandal You Started
“It’s okay,” he said, his voice deep and smooth with understanding. “Say it.”
Rayna twisted the strap of her small handbag between her fingers as she sighed. “You’re an amazing guy, Jake, and tonight was amazing too, but…something was just…”
“Missing?” he offered.
Unable to find a better word, she nodded.
“That holiday spark is gone, isn’t it?”
She nodded again.
“It was kind of just like…we were two friends, catching up after not seeing each other in a while, wasn’t it?”
Curling her bottom lip between her teeth, she answered with another bob of her head.
Jake dropped his chin and let out a rough sigh. “Fuck.” He lifted it on a groaned chuckle. “This is not how I thought the night was going to end. I’d pictured promises of a second date, not…this.”
She smiled sympathetically. “I’m sorry.”
“No, don’t.” He shook his head. “Don’t apologise. Please. It’s not your fault, and you’re not the only one who felt it. I…” He rubbed a hand over his short hair. “You’re smart and beautiful and just awesome, Rayna, so I’m honestly kind of pissed with myself for not feeling what I felt on that beach, because I thought…I really thought…”
He sighed again, and she couldn’t help feeling tug of guilt.
“So…what now?” he then asked.
She gave a small shrug. “Mutual friend-zoning?”
“Mutual…” His echo faded off into a warm laugh. “I like the sound of that. Mutual friend-zoning it is.”
They shared a smiling moment, then Jake pulled his other hand from his pocket, Rayna stepped closer, and he looped his arms around her in a gentle hug.
It lasted but a few comfortable seconds, but it felt…solidifying. In a good way.
“Can I ask you something?” Jake said as he slipped his hands back into his pockets.
“Of course.”
His gaze darted away before hesitantly moving back to her. “Does it maybe have anything to do withhim? I mean that guy you were shopping with at Morkins? Dominic, was it?”
Her heart violently ricochetted off her rib cage. “Wha…why do you think that?” she said, the truth stealing her ability to talk confidently.
His grin widened like he knew something she didn’t. “Well, he was looking at me like he wanted to kill me for talking to you.”
“That…” She opened and closed her mouth. “He just…has that kind of face.”
A chuckle slipped from Jake. “Mm-hmm. And what about the tension between you two that felt almost physical?”
“I don’t—” she started, then stopped and shook her head. “He irritates me.”
The mischief in his eyes brightened. “Irritate can havea lotof meanings.”
Her cheeks ignited. “Not like that.”
He nodded slowly, sarcastically. “Whatever you say.”
Rayna narrowed her eyes, but she let it go when he assured her he’d take her word as the truth, and then said goodbye with one final hug.
Jake waited at the end of the drive as she headed through the front door of her house. She waved as he slowly slunk back with a raise of his hand, before she closed the door.
