Page 29 of Crossing the Line
“PG.” He folds his arms. “You really don’t understand what’s going on here?”
I shrug. “I think I know. You marrying your cousin has something to do with money, doesn’t it?”
We turn up Eighth Avenue. “I’m being coerced to marry her.”
“By whom?”
He narrows his eyes at me as if he’s surprised that I don’t know the answer already. I do know the answer, but I want to hear him say it.
“By my family, PG. Marrying Lauren leverages the rules of the Lord Trust in our favor. I’m surprised you don’t know about the stipulations of the trust. Your brother and uncle are quite adept at weaponizing the trust against us.”
My face feels pinched. I can’t stop shaking my head. I hate the way Max and Uncle Leo have run Grandfather’s enterprise. However, I’m not sure I should share that with Hercules, even though it’s probably written all over my face. No matter how much I love Hercules, he’s still a Lord. That has always been the major factor that keeps us apart.
After a long period, the awkward silence does its job and puts his previous comment about my uncle and brother in our past.
Hercules snorts and shoves his hands into his pants pockets. “What would your parents say if you brought me home for dinner?”
Whoa, that question came out of nowhere.I pull the sides of my mouth down, visualizing the answer. I see myself walking into my parents’ Greenwich, Connecticut, estate with Hercules by my side. They look mortified.
“It would be a disaster,” I admit.
Hercules chuckles. “It would definitely feel like a disaster. But it wouldn’t be a disaster because we’d be together.”
I snort as I shake my head. “Do you ever stop?”
“Stop what?” he asks, flashing his charming smile.
“Flirting.”
He throws his hands up as if he’s innocent. “I’m not flirting. I’m merely stating a fact.”
Our laughing together feels more like collusion than amusement. I raise an eyebrow, giving in to the fantasy of him accompanying me to a dinner with my parents. “I would do it, you know. Just to watch them squirm.”
“Then it’s a date.”
We laugh.
Hercules drops his head and simpers. “I like this, Paisley—being with you.” He lifts his head and stares deep into my eyes. “I don’t want to stop seeing you.”
I feel my heart beating in my throat as my facial muscles fall slack. I want more of Hercules Lord, too, regardless of his being engaged to Lauren. But having sex with him like we did last night would be a slap in the face to every woman—friend, family, nonfriend, and even Lauren. “I can’t.” That comes out in a thick whisper. I clear my voice. “I respect the girl code.”
I’m not sure whether his grunt means he’s impressed or intrigued. “Then let’s just be friends,” he offers up.
I chuckle, realizing that Hercules is purposely downplaying how difficult it would be for us to just be friends, especially after last night. I can’t stop craving a repeat. However, I decide to play along to see where we end up.
“But we are friends,” I say.
“Better friends. Good friends. Indestructible friends.”
When I turn, I already know that I will meet his charming smile. “And how do you propose we do that?”
“Let’s hang out more.”
I raise an eyebrow skeptically. “What do you mean by”—I draw air quotes—“‘hang out more’? Is sex involved?”
His mouth goes through several anxious contortions before he says, “It doesn’t have to be. We can do what we’re doing now. Walk. Talk. Get to know each other better.”
“What do you want to know about me?”
