“I am not doing anything to you.” Emily scowled at him. “Or do you mean to suggest that I somehow forced you to kiss me?”
“Of course not.” Luke flushed, but finally looked back at her...
“Then what are you saying, because I do not understand. I do not understand how you can kiss me and then propose that we simply go on as if nothing happened!” Emily shouted.
“Because it was a mistake!” he roared back at her.
Emily recoiled. His words felt like a slap to the face. Anger flared within her, but she saw the look in his eyes, hiding beneath his anger.Shame.
Luke had been right. She was good at reading people.
“Then do you regret it?” Emily asked.
“Yes. No. I do not know.” Luke groaned.
“Do you still want to kiss me?” Emily watched his face, waiting for even the slightest change in his expression.
His jaw twitched, his eyes hardened. “No.”
“You do not mean that.” She said, her voice shaking. “You have not lied to me before, do not start lying now.”
“I should not have done it the first time.” Luke clenched his fist.
“But you did, and that has to mean something.” Emily reached for his hand, but he jerked away from her.
“Itcannotmean anything.” Luke’s jaw was tight.
He reminded Emily of a tightly coiled spring, or a piece of rope stretched taught. One strike from severing completely.
“Why not?” Emily asked. “Why can it not mean anything?”
“You know why.” Luke muttered. “You are supposed to marry my brother.”
“Is that what you want?” Emily asked. “Do you want me to marry your brother? You have been opposed to the match from the beginning.”
“It does not matter what I want.” Luke retorted.
“But it does.”
“I cannot marry.”
“Then why did you do it?” she asked. “Why did you kiss me?”
“I-” Luke began but she cut him off, advancing towards him.
“You do not get to kiss me, not like that, and then act as if it were nothing.”
Luke swallowed and Emily continued. “It meant something, it meant something to me. And I know it meant something to you.”
Luke shook his head. “It does not change things.”
“Why did you kiss me?” Emily asked again, taking another step towards him.
Blood roared through her. Her fists were clenched. She was shaking, but her voice was steady. “I know you, I know what kind of man you are.”
“You know nothing about me.” Luke whispered, shaking his head.
“I do.” She insisted.
