Pressed tightly against his chest, I shivered. But it had nothing to do with my lack of clothes or the lake water soaking my hair and dripping off my skin.
It was him.
Every inch of me that touched himburned. As if I’d spiked a fever, chills rippled over my flesh. And the fire between us blazed hotter the longer he held me.
He stared at my face, searching my features. His nostrils flared as he seethed his outrage. Then, finally, he ran his gaze over every part of my body.
His eyes blazed.
Within the onyx depths, fury warred with so much more, and I couldn’t stop myself from fighting harder.
“Max, please—” I begged. “Just do it.”
He clenched his jaw. “Stop.”
“I can’t.” My teeth chattered, and my vision blurred. “You can’t either. I know you can’t. So, just do it.Please, Max. Give us what we both want.”
He wanted to pretend he didn’t want me? That I was just a toy he’d played with? That none of it meant anything when we both knew everything had changed between us?
Fuck. That.
“Max—”
“I said,no!”
He released me, his arms dropping from around me. Trying to put space between us, he practically tripped backward. He ripped off his shirt and threw it at me. It landed with a wetthunkat my feet, but I didn’t move to pick it up.
“Get. Dressed.” He spat out the words, pointing at the soaked T-shirt. “Now.”
As I opened my mouth to argue, he rushed forward, clamping a hand over it.
“No.”
My eyes widened as he cut off my air, jumping between his as he stared down at me with so much fury it pierced through me like hatred.
“I’m gettingengagedat the party, Quinn. It’s over.”
I froze.
His hand slid away from my lips.
My voice trembled. “You’re getting engaged at the party?”
He narrowed his gaze as he stepped away from me, shaking his head, as if the sheer stupidity of my question had blown his mind. “Vivian’s parents are coming early to announce it. We decided to move it up.”
I stepped toward him, but he held out his hand.
Staring down at me, he made it painfully clear I needed to stay away. “Continuing to pursue me like this isn’t appropriate. It’s not something I want. I said,no.”
No.
“Max—” I lifted my hands, unsure if it was an apology or an attempt to reach him. Maybe both. “Max, I?—”
“It’s over. Can you please accept that so you don’t cause any more problems?”
His harsh stare hurt more than his closed-off posture or his words. Whether he was mad at me or at the situation they must have forced him into, either way, I’d caused the reaction.
“I didn’t mean—” I shook my head, stepping toward him. “I didn’tknowthat would happen.”
