Page 52 of Ruining His Smirk

“So… your refusal even to acknowledge that you jumped into the water after me isn’t making sense. Why?”

He looked slightly panicked. His muscular chest rose and fell. Still, he didn’t pull his hand away. I stepped closer. I lifted my other hand and placed it against his face, my palm resting against the rough warmth of his stubble.

“Why?” I asked again.

His eyes held mine. For several seconds, he said nothing. Then the answer came out in a low, ragged voice.

14

Nate

“Because every time you’re around, I lose my fucking mind.”

My heart skipped a beat.

“I do things without thinking.” His breathing sped up. “Things I wouldn’t normally do. That isn’t heroism. It’s stupidity. And I’m not used to it.”

“Are you saying you only do stupid things when I’m around?” I whispered.

He glared at me, but there was no real heat behind it now. Not with the way he had leaned, almost imperceptibly, into my touch.

“Yes.”

Butterflies suddenly assaulted my stomach. God, this man.

“And you don’t like that, hmm? Does it bother you? Threaten your big cowboy ego?” I couldn’t help the smile that broke across my face.

“Yes, it bothers me,” he almost growled. “No one… no one has ever done this to me, Nate.”

My eyes widened. My mouth fell open. He had never called me that.

“Done what?” I asked, almost afraid to hear his answer, but also desperately needing to hear it.

“Had complete power over me.”

Oh. Oh, fuck.

“Garrett…” I moaned. I tugged at him, wanting to kiss him, but he remained rooted to the floor. The sudden pull between us made me stumble. My ribs immediately protested. “Ouch.” The word escaped before I could stop it.

Garrett came alive at once. “Nate!”

Okay, that was my new favorite word. The way he said my name in his rumbly voice, all hard edges wrapped softly around my name… I was so doomed.

In an instant, he was down on one knee, one hand steadying my waist.

“What’s wrong?” His fingers caught the hem of my sweater and lifted it carefully. Cool air brushed across my exposed skin, made sensitive by the fact that his face was inches away from my body.

“Nothing. It’s only the bruising.”

The bruising was faint, more a shadow beneath my pale skin than anything truly serious, but he looked alarmed.

“It looks worse than it is,” I said. “Keith gave me painkillers, and the X-ray was clean. I bruise easily. Always have.”

His hand hovered for a moment, as though he was afraid even the lightest contact might hurt me. “Here?”

I nodded.

“Does it hurt when you breathe?”