Page 52 of Enemies to Lovers

I shove my way in, a few dogs excited to see me over my dog. I give them all head pats before scanning the large, fenced area for Miles or Hershey.

The leash digs into my palms as I twist it round and round, praying it takes my nerves clean out of my body. But the damn thing only pinches my skin.

I know what I’m going to say. I rehearsed it instead of taking a nap, and I have the bags under my eyes as proof. The slight breeze pushes my hair from my face, and I inhale through my nose, breathing it out in wisps.

“Miles,” I mouth to myself, “you hurt me. You made me feel stupid. I can’t ignore what you did. What kind of person would I be if I just fell right in to—”

A solid wall of dog thumps into my calf, taking my leg clean from under me. I stumble, arms flailing, but I don’t eat dirt. Fingers wrap around my upper arm, catching me before I go headfirst into puppy-trampled grass.

“Hershey,” Miles scolds, righting me with ease. I try not to find that hot as hell as he loosens his grip and drops my arm. His excited lab nuzzles into my hand, her solid body hugging the leg she just plowed into.

“I guess she missed you,” he says through a tired smile. The redness in his eyes tells me he didn’t sleep much during our small break either.

“At least someone loves me.” I crouch, squishing her adorable face and scratching behind her ears. “That one still prefers to cuddle with my brother.” I nod to Brewster, whose nose is buried in a collie’s butt. Miles follows my gaze, then lets out a sharp whistle between his teeth. About nine dogs all look in his direction, including Brewster. My pup’s tongue lolls out, and he bounds over to say hello.

It’s not hot. It’s not sexy.

No.

Miles greets Brewster, giving him so much love and asking how he’s feeling, like the dog will answer. And Brewster licks his face, his butt unable to stay still as he weaves around and around Miles. Hershey stays next to my side, so polite and trained, waiting for them to break it up before she bounds in to say hello to Brewster.

“Can we trade?” I ask, my lips turning down as the dogs run out into the field. They jump all over each other, Brewster so excited he starts peeing.

Miles rises from his crouch, tucking Hershey’s leash into his back pocket. “You don’t mean that.”

“I know.” I’m just tired of my dog not liking me. My gaze drifts from the dogs to Miles, and he offers up a slight grin before gesturing with his head to start walking the path around the perimeter. I cross my arms, Brewster’s leash dangling from my now sweaty palm as I fall into step with Miles.

Everything I rehearsed wipes from my brain, like his arrival was a dry eraser and my determination was written in faded marker. He reaches for his cheek, but his hand stops before he can scratch, and he stuffs it into his pocket.

“Did you get any sleep?” he asks, and I shake my head. He lets out a soft laugh. “Me neither.”

Brewster runs up to another walker a few feet down the path, nudging his hand. I grimace at the affection my dog shows the stranger. What is wrong with me that he won’t even sleep in the same room?

Miles lets out another laugh, and I raise a brow at him.

“Sorry,” he says. “You’re quiet, and I’m not used to that, so I’m getting a little nervous.” The wind kicks his hair around as we turn against it. “We haven’t talked about—”

“The sex?”

His ears turn red. “Yeah. That and… well, what I said during class.”

Brewster says hello to a couple of other guys farther down the path. “You know, I had an answer for you. About what you can do to show that… well, that you mean it this time around.”

“Care to share?”

“As soon as my brain remembers it.” I snort, and his shoulders relax, his elbow brushing against me. The memory of us walking hand in hand around temple square prods into my empty brain, and I frown. I despise those memories, how tainted they are. What’s worse is how I miss them.

“Anything I can do to jog your memory?” His dang smile widens, and it does things to my stomach and confusing things to my heart. That smile seems so real, but didn’t it before? Is he just a good actor?

I take a deep breath, moving my gaze to the path beneath our feet. It’s best to look down anyway.

“I can’t be involved with you, Miles,” I start, and my heart hurts as the words leave my lips. “Not now.”

He’s quiet for a beat, the sound of happy barking filling the air between us.

“Is there nothing I can do, then?”

A humorless laugh shakes my shoulders. “Why do you want to? Is this just to absolve you of guilt or…”

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