Page 57 of Perfectly Complicated
“Surprised?” He laughs before his dark eyes land on mine again. “Or maybe you’re using him as a shield.”
The accuracy of that statement stings like a slap. “That’s ridiculous.”
“Is it?” He leans toward me, and I instinctively step back until my hip hits a set piece on the stage. “Because from where I’m standing, it looks like you’re scared.”
I narrow my eyes. “I’m not scared.”
“No? Then why haven’t you been able to look at me since you touched me?”
Heat floods my cheeks. “Thatwas an accident.”
“Was it?”
“Yes. I was trying to help you understand the character and I…” I don’t have a believable lie. I can’t even come up with one.
“And you what, angel?” His voice is dangerously quiet. “Forgot what you were doing? Didn’t remember that you’re supposed to keep your distance?”
Yes.Exactly that.
“You’re reading too much into nothing,” I say, but even I can hear how weak it sounds.
His brow lifts. “Am I? Because the way you pulled back, how you’ve been avoiding me since we worked on the script…”
I turn away and gather as many props as possible, just to busy myself. If my arms are full, he can’t get close to me. It’s a lousy defense, but it’s all I’ve got when I’m defenseless around him. “I haven’t been avoiding you.”
He laughs, but there’s no humor in it. “We’ve said maybe ten words to each other outside of rehearsal. You eat breakfast before I wake up, and you’re in your room before I get home from practice.”
What can I say?Every time you look at me, I want to kiss you again.
The heat rises in my cheeks even as I try to deny it. “I’ve been busy.”
“With what? Thinkingabout Peterson?”
The jealousy in his toneshouldannoy me. Instead, it turns my body molten, which only makes me angrier at myself.
“What Ithinkabout is none of your business,” I snap. “David is just a work acquaintance who happens to be a guy.”
“Janie, he’s a man. And he’s single. He only has one thing on his mind…and it’snoteducational.”
My mouth opens to protest, but nothing comes out. David is safe for me.Harmless.
Right now, the only man I should be afraid of is the one standing in front of me. David Peterson could bore me to tears,but Rourke Riley? He could destroy me completely. There’s this pull between us I can’t explain, and even worse, I don’t want to fight it.
The dark stubble shadowing his jaw, his hair falling over his forehead, the intensity in his eyes that makes me want to do incredibly dumb things.
I should tell him his jealousy over Peterson isn’t my problem. Walk away before I do something I can’t take back.
Instead, I’m drowning in the memory of being in his arms, how he held me like he really wanted me. If only I could erase that from my memory and pretend it never happened. But I can’t forget—not when it’s burned into me.
I lift my chin. “I’m going out with David, even if you disapprove.” Then I pivot, heading toward the storage bin.
“Fine, go out with him,” he says sharply. “You don’t know what you’re missing, though.”
I give a humorless laugh. “And you think you could show me?”
“I could ruin every other date for you.” His voice drops lower. “One night with me, and you’d forget Peterson even exists.”
I don’t dare turn around. My heart’s in free fall, and I know my face would betray every second of it. His words move through me like fire, and I have to remind myself tobreathe just to keep my heart steady.
