Page 20 of Enemies with Benefits
"I thought so."
"Do you now?"
"I...don't know."
"What, as in you're regretting it, or you're wondering if things might be different with him that you might need to tell him?"
"Both, either, and neither."
"Ah, as clear as mud then, got it."
She glared at me. “And don't you dare tell him just to get under his skin."
I stared at her, offended. "I would never."
"With anyone else, I’d say you'd never do anything so stupid and pointlessly mean, but," she glanced back at Jace, "you two are just...I don't know. I never understood what it was about him that brought out the worst in you, parts of you I didn't even know existed. And I was just...so shocked when I talked to him, like,reallytalked to him for the first time. Because he was nothing like the person he was when he was dealing with you. The two of you...have an effect on each other. I mean, for God's sake, look at you. Haven't seen each other in years, don't even cross paths, and then suddenly you're right back to antagonizing him, and he's right back to wanting to yank your head off. So get pissed if you want, but I'm not taking any chances when it comes to the two of you."
I still wasn't happy about the accusation, mostly because telling him would upset Moira and Micah's lives, which I would never do. But...she had a point. From the moment the two of us had met in middle school, there had been aninstantaneous...something. I'd never had a word for it until I discovered the idea of love at first sight, except between us, it had been its hard and intractable opposite, pure and unadulterated hatred. Much like love at first sight, there had been no rhyme or reason to the feeling, but it had been as mutual as it had been instantaneous, and it had only grown stronger and deeper the more we dealt with one another over the years.
And as Moira had pointed out, that clearly hadn't abated.
"I won't be the one to tell him," I assured her, a little begrudgingly. "But uh, might wanna look out because it looks like his buddy might."
"Kayden, his partner."
"Partner?"
"Work. Cop, remember?"
"Oh. I thought they seemed pretty close. Never knew anyone who could get on his nerves and get away with it like that guy seems to."
"They are. Probably the only real friend Jace has ever had...they've been pretty much together since they joined the force."
"And you're, uh...not worried?"
"No. It might have been years?—"
"Eight or so in fact."
"But Kayden won't tell him."
"You sure?"
"Yes. He's going to come over here and want to talk to me."
"And how is he going to manage that without making Jace suspicious?"
A strange look passed over her face before she smiled. “Actually, you two have a lot in common. Now, if you were in his place...how would you manage it?"
I thought about it for a moment, then shrugged. “I'd...he's gonna use me, isn't he?"
"I'd bet my next paycheck."
"A shame we're both betting on the same thing."
We watched the two men until finally they marched over, Jace's shoulders hunched as he stood behind Kayden, who was looking faintly amused. If it weren't for the fact that anything and everything about Jace turned me off, I’d think the two of them could have made a pretty cute couple. Jace had gotten big, a bit bigger than me, actually, and while his features were hard, there was a charm to them, especially when compared to the boyish features of his partner, who smiled brightly.
"So," Kayden began, looking me over. "Is it your bike?"
