Page 312 of Off Limits: The Firsts

“Good to know.”

“Is there a reason for so much hostility, Em? I’m sensing you’re mad at me, but if these are your rules, then how can you be?”

Silence falls in the small space as my tongue-tied thoughts spin and shift the conversation. “Look, we’re attracted to each other. There’s nothing wrong with that. We wanted out of each other’s systems. We screwed. We’re good.”

“So eloquent.” He lifts his eyebrows as his smile spreads.

“I’m serious. I barely have time to breathe most days, never mind have the time to deal with this kind of shit.”

“Wow. Way to knock a man’s ego—and dick—in the dirt.”

I growl in frustration when I realize how he took my comment. “We’re not talking about the sex part.” I backpedal. “That was top notch. It’s just . . . you’re Phony Maloney. And I’m Emmy Reeves . . . don’t you think we should let the past be the past and just be happy with knowing we turned out okay? With accepting our chemistry is great but that it will never work between us.”

“What wouldn’t work? The screwing part?” he asks, eyes narrowing as he mimics the way I said the word.

“Yes. That.”

“But we already did that part, and what were your words? Top notch? So, I believe that did work.” He knows he’s irritating me and is enjoying every second of doing it.

“What about this?” I motion to the space in between us. “Isn’t this weird?”

“It didn’t feel weird the other night. In fact, it felt pretty damn amazing, so lay your next excuse on me. Why can’t you pick up the phone and take my call, Emerson? I’m not buying whatever logic you’re trying to sell. And frankly you’re making absolutely zero sense, but please, continue. I’m enjoying this immensely.”

“You’re exhausting.” I sigh.

“And you’re infuriating, but we already knew that twenty years ago . . . so what’s your excuse going to be now, huh?”

“I don’t trust you.” I know my comment is a low blow before it even comes out of my mouth, but I can’t stop it any more than I can stop the sun from setting.

He staggers back as if I’ve physically assaulted him, and I can see hints of our past flicker through the anger sparking in his eyes.

Regret is immediate. How do I tell him not to think of the past when I just threw it in his face? I’m a goddamn mess. He doesn’t deserve this. He has to know that much at least.

“You fooled me the other night,” I say with a smirk, trying to make amends for the lingering effects of my childhood grudge.

Way to get my head straight. Tell him there was nothing to the other night and then admit to him that I’m thinking of it.

“Why ever would you think that?” He feigns innocence, but a smile plays on his lips.

“The agreeing to my rules but then turning around and saying I shouldn’t believe anything said in the heat of passion. That type of thing.”

He shrugs. “I agreed to your rules. We had sex. We got each other out of our systems,” he says, but the way his eyes run up and down the length of my body has me shifting my feet to abate the ache the hunger in his look causes. It’s like he’s remembering every line and curve and flavor. “And now I’m here because I wanted to see you.”

“But why? I’ve been nothing but bitchy to you.”

He shrugs again. “Your words, not mine.”

“I know, but they’re true. We squabble like brother and sister and—”

“Not exactly like brother and sister, or else that would make the other night a little more awkward than you’re already making it.”

“You’re a bucket full of laughs today, aren’t you?”

“Always.” And there goes the panty-dropping smile of his that makes me weak in the knees when I don’t get weak in the knees. “I’m sorry. You were saying? Brother and sister . . .”

My concentration is lost amid his interruptions, leaving me to fumble with where I was going with my point. “Just why? That’s all. Why would you want to come see me if I’ve been nothing but rude to you?”

“Because despite it all—or maybe because of it—I like you. And seeing as we got each other out of our systems, maybe I want to be friends.”