We’re at a pub at the edge of the Gulch, and for the last hour we’ve been talking aboutPersuasionwhile drinking beer and snacking on onion rings.
“I’ll admit, I didn’t think I’d end up liking Wentworth more than Mr. Darcy,” I say. “Darcy’s my dude.”
Kendall smiles, her brown eyes bright. “Really? Because you called him awkward when you compared him to Captain Wentworth.”
“Yeah, but it made him likable. And real. He’s not this too-smooth guy who comes off as slimy.”
“I get what you mean.” She swipes an onion ring from the massive basket we’re sharing “There’s a genuineness about Mr. Darcy.”
“Exactly. I like it when people don’t try to be someone they’re not. I like it when they’re real. Even if it means that we don’t get along.”
The corner of Kendall’s plush mouth quirks up right along with her eyebrow as she looks at me. “Is that why you like me even though I can’t stand you and we bicker all the time?”
I grin. “We haven’t been bickering much lately.”
That smile lingers on her pretty lips. “I guess you’re right.”
“And even when we do bicker, I like it. Keeps things interesting. And come on, firecracker. You like me. I can tell.”
She doesn’t say anything at first. She just rolls her eyes and smiles.
I lean forward, closing the space between us. “Admit it. You like me.”
She swallows. “Okay, fine. I like you.”
Those three words send sparks through my chest. I think back to the other night when we almost kissed. When I said the one thing that I’ve been dying to say to her for years…
I’d do anything for you.
I meant it. I still mean it.
Neither of us has brought up that night. I was tempted to text her so we could talk about it, but every time I grabbed my phone, I lost my nerve. It was too easy to talk myself out of it, to convince myself that the moment was gone and that I shouldn’t linger on it. She didn’t reach out about it, so I shouldn’t either. It would probably just make things awkward. She clearly just wants to keep things friendly between us, nothing more.
So I ended up texting her about book club. That was fun as hell. I never thought buddy-reading an old book would be a blast, but it was.
She drains the last of the beer in her glass and runs her candy-pink tongue along her lush bottom lip. My dick twitches. The things I would do to kiss her mouth again, to tease her tongue with mine…
I grit my teeth and shove the thought away.
That’s creepy as fuck. Stop.
The server returns with our drinks and takes our empties. We thank him and sip our fresh beers.
“So what else did you think was interesting aboutPersuasion?” Kendall asks.
“The cousin thing.”
She bursts out laughing and covers her mouth. “Besides that.”
I tug on the baseball cap I’m wearing. “Honestly? The fact that Anne and Captain Wentworth had feelings for each other for years and years and never said anything to each other.”
“Really?”
I nod. “It was kind of sad. They could have gotten together sooner if her family hadn’t talked her out of accepting his proposal when they were younger. But they were hung up on how he didn’t have any money.”
Kendall nods. “You’re right. That is sad. But it was pretty customary for the time. And that sort of thing happens even now. A lot of people will break things off with their partner if their family doesn’t like them, or if they don’t make enough money.”
“That’s messed up,” I mutter, taking a long pull of my beer.
