Page 35 of Trust

“So you waited over a decade to tell me?” She rolled her eyes. “Am Iso pathetic that you mustlie about being interested in me?”

“What? No! You are not pathetic. You’re funny and smart and sexy as fuck.”

She felt her eyes widen because Jakob didn’t cuss much. It sounded like he meant it, but he was an actor. Crossing her arms, she stared him down. “And what? You decided that after treating me like a boil on the butt of humanity, you decided to say that?”

“Dammit, okay, I’ve been an ass for years, but there was a method to my madness.”

“And that would be?”

“I couldn’t touch you. You were too young and definitely too smart for me.”

“I…what?”

“You were underaged, Lani. I couldn’t date you. My mother taught me better than that. And…I had an image I had to worry about, too.”

His career had been just taking off, and she could imagine that dating her might have been a problem. Sure, other guys did it all the time, but Jakob, for being kind of a skank in many ways, wasn’tthattype.

“Well, you were mean to me. A lot.”

He had done everything he could to ensure she didn’t feel welcome around him. It had broken her heart.

“I had to. Whenever you were around, I was worried I would slip up. You tempted me too much. And I know that makes me an ass. It is completely unacceptable behavior.”

“But you kept doing it.”

“Because I’m an arse. It became habit, and the truth was, you are way too smart for me.” He leaned forward and tangled his fingers with hers. Just like always, the spark of electric heat that lanced through her jolted her.

“You feel it, don’t you?” he asked, his blue gaze watching her intently.

“Feel what?”

“That spark. Every time I touch you, I get seared.”

She wrestled her fingers away from him and stood. He was saying too much, overwhelming her brain. He rose.

“I—I…you’re freaking me out.”

“I didn’t want to do that. I just wanted to be honest with you.”

“Why?”

He looked away from her, out to the ocean. “My family.”

“Your family?”

He looked back at her. “You’ve seen how happy Jules and Jensen are, right? Hell, Jensen had been in love with Nic for years. I realized I needed to step up and be honest about my feelings.”

“But you don’t…” Her voice trailed off because she almost revealed that she had followed the gossip about him.

“I don’t what?”

“Never mind.”

“No, tell me. I can take it. I get it if you aren’t interested in me.”

“What?” The man had no idea about her infatuation. Really?

“When you were a teen, you followed us around, so I thought you had a crush on me. I get that you grew out of it.”

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