Page 85 of Hard Rain
“I’ve spent a year convincing myself that this would never happen.”
He looked up.
Axel didn’t interrupt.
“I finally got to the point where I figured being your partner was enough. Having you in my life was enough. I’d made peace with that.”
Axel held his gaze.
“Then you kissed me.”
“Yeah.”
“And now I don’t know how to go back.”
Another quiet moment passed.
Finally, Axel set his fork down.
“I don’t want you to.”
Whip carried his plate to the sink before Axel could beat him there.
“Leave it.” Axel reached for the second plate.
“I know how dishes work.”
“I wasn’t questioning your qualifications.”
“You question everything.”
“I do.”
Whip snorted and turned on the hot water. The skillet took up most of the sink. He squirted dish soap across the bottom and started scrubbing.
“You’re avoiding the issue.”
“I thought we already solved it.”
“We’ve barely scratched the surface.”
“We’ve scratched enough.”
Whip glanced over his shoulder.
“That doesn’t even make sense.”
“It does to me.”
“Of course it does.”
He shook his head and went back to the skillet.
Behind him, cupboards opened and closed while Axel put things away. Silverware clinked together. The refrigerator door thumped shut.
The routine hadn’t changed.
He had.
