Page 133 of His Reckoning

Now she’s done trying. Which, if I’m being honest, somehow irritates me even more.

The elevator dings, and the door’s part open. She steps out first. Her heels click against the marble floor as she walks down the hallway toward the penthouse like she knows exactly where she’s going.

Irritation cuts through me.

Tonight, at the bar, she looked like she belonged everywhere. She was confident, relaxed. Laughing with everyone, including Dean.

I swipe the key, and the door unlocks. Kayla walks inside ahead of me. The moment she crosses the threshold, she turns slightly, like she’s about to say something.

Maybe another attempt at conversation. Possibly another sarcastic comment.

The door shuts behind us, and whatever restraint I had left finally disappears.

Before she can say a word, I grab her arm and spin her back toward the door.

Her back hits it with a soft thud.

Her eyes widen. “Sawyer?—”

My hand slides up the wall beside her head, boxing her in completely.

“Did you enjoy that tonight?” I ask quietly.

Her brow furrows. “Enjoy what?”

“Dean.”

Her lips part slightly.

“Oh,” she says slowly. “You mean the part where he talked to me like a normal person?”

I look away before she notices exactly how annoyed I am. “You knew exactly what he was doing.”

“And what was that?”

“Flirting.”

She shrugs. “Maybe.”

The casual way she says it sends another sharp flash of heat through my chest.

“And you just stood there, smiling,” I accuse further.

“Well,” she says lightly, “someone had to.”

My patience finally runs out. I lean in, close enough that I can feel her breath catch.

“You think that was funny?”

Her chin lifts stubbornly. “A little.”

That’s it. My hand slips around the back of her neck, and I pull her toward me.

The kiss hits hard. It’s not careful or hesitant. Nothing like the first one.

This one is fueled by everything that built up all night. Jealousy and frustration. Five days of pretending we didn’t exist in the same apartment.

Kayla freezes for half a second in surprise. Then her fingers curl into the front of my shirt, and suddenly, she’s kissing me back just as hard.