She stood with her arms crossed under her breasts, head tilted to the side, nothing but questions in hereyes.
I threw her that cold, calculating smile I’d perfected for business meetings and people I wanted out of my presence. “Well, she’s a little more than afriend.”
Izzy flinched like I’d struck her. I tightened my hand on the doorknob, using it as a grounding point. “Thank you for coming over. I’ll get the help to put the books back. It was merely an accident. Do you want me to walk you out? I’d invite you to stay, but I’ll likely be coming back here withcompany.”
Her mouth dropped open before she shook herself and stalked forward. All five-foot-eight inches of her drawn up in anger stirred me in a way it shouldn’t have. She was marvelous to behold. I knew she held back a biting tirade, and I wanted it. I deserved it. I needed it to keep pushing heraway.
She put her finger inches from my face, her lips twisted in fury. Then she stopped and dropped her hand. I fell with it. I needed that anger to get her out of here. When I opened my mouth to try another verbal disassociation tactic, she slapped me across the face, hard and fast. My head snapped to the side, and when I looked back at her, she held her hand in theother.
I wanted to comfort her, get ice for her, do anything to get that look of betrayal off her face. Instead, I touched my lip where it stung the most. No blood. Then I crooked my chin. “You should put some ice onthat.”
She narrowed her eyes and slapped me again. “Stop it.” She growled. “I’m not a damn idiot. I know what you’re trying to do, and if I have to, I’m going to keep slapping you until I knock some sense into that ancient brain ofyours.”
I grabbed the door handle once more. If I left, she’d have no reason to stay. I could hide in the car and come back after she went home. She clutched my forearm hard and raised a questioning brow. “I’m not playing games with you, Gray. You seem to be good at them, but I will tip the board over every singletime.”
I swallowed, using everything I had left to maintain a neutral expression, using the sting in my cheeks to lock eyes with her. “You’re welcome to join us. Me and Yvette. She doesn’t mindcompany.”
Another slap. I took in a shuddering breath. “Do not hit meagain.”
“What are you going to do? Hit me back? I’d like to see you tryit.”
I released the door and stepped forward, real anger started to merge with the fake until I couldn’t find the line between. “I would never hit awoman.”
“Oh yeah, did you hit any in the past? Should I go check that book so I can findout?”
The mention of the book pushed it too far; I think we both realized it at the same time. I surged forward to trap her body between mine and the wall beside the door. Inches away from her face, I spit out. “You will not hit meagain.”
We both stayed caught-in-the-act still, breathing heavily. My hands clasped her waist, hers in fists pressed against my chest. It was a classic angry couple movie scene, except in my living room. How did I let it get this far? Sense began to filter in, and I started to pull my hands from herwaist.
She must have felt the shift in pressure because her fists uncurled to lock around my jacket lapels and keep me there. “We aren’t throughhere.”
“No, I’m entirely sure we are through. You’ve made it clear on multiple occasions you don’t want me. And yet when I ask you to leave, you resist and find excuses. So who is playing games here,Izzy?”
Her eyes widened a little, and some of the anger left them. She swallowed heavily, still clutching myjacket.
What did I do now? Wait until it fizzled, and she let me go? I didn’t think that was possible as the solid warm press of her body, along with the sparks zipping through me from my residual fury, stirred something else inme.
Her eyes widened further as her realization of the source of my own expression sunk in. She’d understand fully in a few seconds. I gripped her small hands in mine, still locked in myjacket.
“Isobel.”
She sagged and fluttered her eyes closed as I said her fullname.
“If you do not release me at once, this is going to go very badly. Probably for both ofus.”
“Wh-what are you going to do?” Her voice was soft, fluttering, oh so sweet. It wasn’t a question she really wanted an answerto.
I drew in a long breath, intending to let her go and walk out.Gray…just let her go and walkout.
Let her go and walkout.
I released her fingers slowly, and she sagged back against the wall. The second I took my eyes off hers, she lunged forward and slapped me again. Harder thanbefore.
There was no anger in her eyes now. All I saw wasinvitation.
12
Izzy
