Page 11 of A Date with Fate

“No, you said any game.”

Taylor gaped at me, opening and closing her mouth as she stared at me, aghast. “You tricked me!”

“You deserved it for toying with me.”

She huffed. “Rude. Fine, what game did you want to play?”

I held my hands out, both flat, as if holding an imaginary plate. Taylor stared. “Put your hands over mine, just a little distance between them.”

She did, recognition flaring in her dark eyes. “Are you serious? How old are you?”

“You just have to move your hands before I can slap them.”

Taylor grunted, obviously still not pleased with me. “I know the game, Scott.”

“Oh good,” I said, ticking the underside of her palm with one of my fingers. “Best out of three, then?”

“You’re going down.” Taylor was glaring a hole through me now, her teeth biting into her bottom lip hard. I found myself distracted by that lip as I slowly moved a finger up, brushing over her fingers. She twitched but didn’t take the bait.

“Why were you hiding out at Logan’s?”

“I was there to see my new nephew,” Taylor said, grunting a little as she took the bait and yanked her hands half back. Point to me. I didn’t dare smile as we switched positions, her hands on top of mine. They were elegant and slender hanging above my thick, rough ones.

“Logan said you showed up a week early.” I took a deep breath in, watching her mouth again. “We both know that no one in your family is ever that early.”

“I was tired of where I was living.”

“With that guy from Charlotte?”

She grimaced, and I took advantage of her distraction, swatting her hands. “That’s one.”

“You fight dirty,” Taylor noted, but her tone was light. “And yes, that guy from Charlotte.”

“Ex-boyfriend.”

“Ex-everything.”

“How long were you together?”

“Too long.” Taylor yanked her hands back then pouted at me for a moment. “I knew he wasn’t ‘it’ after a week of him living there, but I…I don't know.”

I had just won, but I wasn’t sure she even noticed. Especially since I wasn't going to actually kick her out of the bed anyway. It had just been a silly con to get more of her attention, to feel that sharp edge of her and all the sweetness she held right below. “Tell me.”

Taylor’s shoulders dropped. “He thought I might be the one for him. He really did. And I wanted so badly to be that person for someone. I thought I could just…I don't know, make it work.”

“That makes sense.” Instead of moving our hands now, I just slipped my fingers through hers, pulling her hand to my mouth. “I’m sure, when it’s the right person, there won’t be any trying. You will be their person; they will be yours.”

Taylor smiled, beautiful face still more serious than I wanted. “There’s always effort in relationships.”

“Yes, but it wouldn’t feel like work when it's meant to be.”

Her fingers tightened on mine. “I like that. I want that.”

“And you’ll get it.”

Right at that moment, a tall man leaned over the bar, smiling widely at Taylor. “She with you?”

“Excuse me?” Taylor said.

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