She sighed dramatically. “Yes, I’m okay. I promise. It’s just…”
“What?”
“My hand still really hurts.”
He barked out a laugh and it forced her to do the same even as she chided him. “It’s not funny!”
“I beg to differ,” he replied, still smiling as the tension in his body released and he took a sip of beer.
“He’s wandering down the FDR somewhere right now! I feel awful.”
His humor dimmed at that, watching her expression change, the mix of humor and guilt and sadness playing under the seams of her smile. “You shouldn’t.”
“I probably gave him a black eye!”
“And he deserved it,” Knightley said, leaning forward so his elbows rested on his knees. “Don’t put this in some moral gray area. No one deserves to be treated like that. Least of all you.”
“Oh really?”
“Really.”
She seemed to consider, taking a bite of the ice cream before glancing back up at him. “When I kicked him out of the cab he called me spoiled. Did I deserve that?”
Fuck. He knew his words at dinner had bothered her. But her stare now wasn’t critical; her green eyes were locked on his and there was a small smile still on her lips. She was giving him a chance, an out.
“When I said you were spoiled… that doesn’t mean…” He stopped himself and ran a hand down his face. “I didn’t mean that, Emma.”
She laughed. “Yes you did.”
“But I shouldn’t have said it. It’s not something you should feel bad about.”
“It’s fine.”
“It’s not,” he said. “Especially when some asshole uses it against you.”
She sighed, letting her head fall back against the sofa pillows. “I just don’t understand why this is so complicated.”
“What?”
“Men. Relationships. All of it.”
“It isn’t.”
Another laugh as she lifted her head to throw him a patronizing glare. “That’s easy for you to say.”
He was about to take a sip of beer but paused with the bottle poised at his lips. “What is that supposed to mean?”
She rolled her eyes. “It’s not complicated the wayyoudo it.”
“What way is that?”
“Without strings,” she said. A smile was still teasing her lips.
This suddenly felt like dangerous territory, but he didn’t want to stop. He didn’t even know if he could. “And how would you know that?”
She maintained his gaze, even as her smile slowly faded. It was like she felt it too, the pull of this unexplored territory. The creeping feeling they wouldn’t ever be able to turn back.
“You never introduce us to anyone, but I see you sometimes,” she said, and swallowed. “When you bring them home.”
