Page 106 of His Reckoning

Sawyer is still standing there with his arms now crossed.

His expression is unreadable.

I give him my most innocent smile. “Don’t wait up.”

Then I step into the elevator, and the doors close.

* * *

By the time Theo starts explaining the philosophy behind his latest series of paintings, I realize something unfortunate.

I am incredibly bored.

Not because Theo is unpleasant. He’s actually very nice. Enthusiastic. Passionate. Earnest in a way that makes me feel slightly guilty for mentally drifting halfway through his explanation about emotional landscapes and color symbolism.

But there’s something missing. A little spark. Something sharper beneath the conversation.

Instead, the entire evening feels like a very polite interview.

Theo gestures animatedly with his hands. “… and the red strokes represent internal chaos,” he says.

“That makes sense,” I reply automatically.

He smiles, clearly pleased, and immediately launches into another explanation.

I take a sip of my drink and glance around the bar. There’s warm lighting with low music. Couples leaning close together at small tables. It should feel romantic.

My thoughts keep drifting somewhere deeply unhelpful—back to the apartment. To Sawyer and the look on his face when Theo introduced himself, which was … something.

Not angry, but definitely not pleased. The memory makes me smile slightly.

Theo notices. “That’s a good reaction,” he says.

“Oh?”

“That means you’re picturing the work.”

“Something like that.”

Technically true. Just not the way he thinks. Instead of emotional landscapes, I’m picturing Sawyer leaning against the kitchen counter with that calm, irritating confidence.

I push the thought away immediately.

Absolutely not.

This entire evening is about proving the opposite.

Which means I should probably focus on the man sitting across from me instead of the one pacing around his apartment.

Theo is still talking. “So, what do you write again?”

“Romance novels.”

His eyes brighten. “That’s amazing.”

“Thank you.”

“Are they like … sweet romance?”