Page 55 of Her Every Fantasy

My jaw dropped all the way to the floor and stayed there. For some reason, that annoyed him even more.

‘Why? Why, even now, does the possibility of us fill you with horror?’ he accused.

Horror?

I scrambled to find words to express my poleaxed thoughts. Then something else occurred to me. ‘I never told you we couldn’t be more than friends.’

‘You barely tolerated me in the beginning. You couldn’t speak to me without sneering and you rolled your eyes the first, second andlasttime I asked you out.’

Heat engulfed my face. ‘It was self-preservation. I thought you were messing with me. You tossed those invitations out like jokes. And remember, I was the girl who carried an extra fifty pounds on her arse alone and you were...you.’

He scrubbed a hand over his nape. ‘So you slotted us into pigeonholes created in your head, sealed it up and threw away the key and, no matter what I did or said, you refused to even acknowledge that I might want something different.’

‘So every time I broke up with someone...’

‘I asked you out. And you said no.’

‘Because I didn’t want to be another notch on your belt,’ I blurted. ‘What did you do to prove I wouldn’t be? Did you expect me to read between the lines and miraculously assume you would treat me different than every other girl?’

‘Yes,’ he said tightly.

‘Bryce...’

He sighed. ‘Yeah, I know how that sounds. But...you were my best friend. I needed you to see past my issues and give me a chance.’

‘I can’t really blame you for saying that because, guess what? I expected you to do the same for me.’

We stared at each other for an age. Then he shook his head. ‘So you just moved on to the next guy who spouted off a ream of Latin or who could conjugate in fucking Spanish and then to Dan?’ His hands dropped to his lap and clenched tight. ‘Did I do that, rosebud? Did I drive you to him?’ he rasped.

The fingers clutching the wine glass trembled. ‘Dan was an opportunist who exploited my weakness when I was at my lowest. That mistake is mine alone, Bryce.’

‘I know he tried to take your company. But did he...hurt you in other ways?’

My stomach churned with bitterness and regret. ‘Nothing physical. Just a few low blows in the months before I served him with divorce papers that made me feel like I was worthless—’

‘You’re not worthless,’ he objected. ‘Don’t ever say that about yourself.Ever.’

Touchedby his fierce outburst, I nodded, then took a deep breath. ‘I won’t recount everything that went on with Dan. I don’t want to give it life. But for what it’s worth, you were right. I knew I’d made a mistake very early. I think that’s partly why I stayed away too.’

For the longest time he held his breath. Then he exhaled. ‘This is the last I want to talk about him,’ he grated.

I nodded. ‘Me too.’ My mind veered from my ex with relief. Back to the previous discussion. ‘I still want to know why you didn’t say anything about...wanting more...even in the days before my wedding.’

‘And risk losing our friendship? Call me a glutton for punishment but I preferred to just be friends than nothing at all.’

God.

Everything inside me shook. Flesh and blood and bone. ‘Glutton for punishment?’

He studied me for a moment, took in my shock. After a minute, his jaw clenched hard. ‘I’m not confessing undying love if that’s what that terrified look on your face is all about.’

Something fragile but vital ripped apart in my chest. ‘Why? You were the most popular guy in our circle and even beyond. Why me?’

He shook his head, his expression resigned. ‘You still don’t get it, do you?’

‘No, I guess I don’t.’

‘Someone only had to pick a subject for you to run rings around them in a debate. You were, and still are, one of the most intelligent people I know. Your brain was a turn-on. Your body followed very closely behind. Oh, don’t curl your gorgeous mouth at me or I’ll kiss you to within an inch of your life.’

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