Page 93 of Broken Blades

"I know."

He stepped closer. Close enough I had to tilt my head back to meet his eyes. "Then why did you?"

I opened my mouth. Closed it. Because I didn't have a good answer. Didn't have a logical one. Didn't have anything that made sense except, "She was being rude."

The words came out softer than I'd intended. More honest than I'd planned.

Wyatt went completely still. "You're an idiot."

The words came out rough. Almost affectionate. Like he couldn't decide whether to shake me or... something else.

I lifted my chin. "Maybe. But she deserved it."

His mouth twitched. Not quite a smile. Close enough to make my pulse jump. "She's going to make your life hell."

"She was already making yours hell." The words escaped before I could stop them. Soft. Too honest. "I just... leveled the playing field."

Something flickered across his face. Surprise? Confusion? Something deeper I couldn't name.

"The playing field," he repeated slowly, "was never yours to level."

"Well maybe I'm tired of watching people treat you like—" I cut myself off. Stopped before I said something I couldn't take back.

His eyes darkened. "Like what?"

"Like you don't matter."

The confession hung between us. Raw. Unguarded. Completely inappropriate given what we actually were to each other.

Wyatt exhaled through his nose. Shook his head slightly. "You shouldn't care."

"I know."

"This is supposed to be fake."

"I know."

"Then stop—" He gestured vaguely between us. Frustrated. Confused. "—whatever this is."

Heat crawled up my neck. "I'm trying."

"Try harder."

"You kissed me in the parking lot," I shot back. "Like you meant it."

His jaw locked. "That was for the cameras."

Liar.

The word burned on my tongue but I swallowed it. Because maybe he was right. Maybe I was reading something into nothing. Maybe the kiss meant exactly what he said, and I was just some naïve college girl who couldn't tell performance from reality.

Except.

Except his hand was still clenched at his side. Like he was physically restraining himself from reaching for me. And his breathing was too shallow. Too fast. And he was looking at me like I'd just rearranged something fundamental inside him.

I broke the moment before it could drown us both. Cleared my throat. Stepped back. Put distance between us that felt like miles.

"The kids are actually waiting." My voice came out steadier than I felt. "You promised them skating."