Page 61 of Resurgent

His partner's expression tightens immediately, annoyance flashing across her face, but he, on the other hand, doesn't even try to hide the way his eyes roam over me before settling back on my face.

Hungry, amused, and far too interested.

Exactly what I'd been hoping for.

"Oh, for the love of—" she scoffs, tossing both hands into the air. "You've been talking about the same woman all damn night, and all it takes is another pretty face falling into your lap for you to forget she exists."

Matt's attention never leaves mine.

"I don't recall asking for commentary."

She snorts, "Typical men."

Pushing back from the table, she points between the two of us. "You've got five minutes, then she's out of here, with or without you." Then she's disappearing into the crowd, muttering under her breath.

The moment she's gone, Matt turns back to me, an easy smile tugging at his lips, "My apologies."

"For?"

"My friend apparently thinks I'm incapable of holding a conversation with an attractive woman without feeling the need to embarrass me."

"So...is she right?"

"I suppose you'll have to decide that for yourself."

I laugh, letting my elbow rest against the bar.

"Confident."

"I've been accused of worse."

For the next several minutes, conversation flows easily—or at least it appears to. I mirror every flirtatious smile I've ever seen across a tavern, laugh when he teases me, brush a loose strand of borrowed hair behind my ear.

It feels horribly unnatural.

Every second I'm looking for an opening.

Every second he somehow manages to keep just enough distance to stay alert.

Come on, Mattey...

I shift on my stool, deliberately catching the toe of my boot against the leg.

"Oh!"

I pitch forward with a startled yelp, but strong hands catch me before I hit the floor, one arm circling my waist as the other steadies my side…until we both lose balance, and I end up sprawled sideways across his lap.

"Oh, Gods." Heat rushes to my cheeks. "I'm so sorry."

"You alright?" he asks, a grin tugging at his mouth.

"My dignity's taken the worst of it."

"Believe it or not, I've seen worse."

"I'm sure you have," I laugh to myself knowingly, because he has in fact seen the real me do much, much worse.

Neither of us moves immediately.