Page 80 of His Reckoning

Her fingers tighten slightly around the edge of the island.

“You’re very close right now,” she says.

“You mentioned that before.”

“That wasn’t an invitation.”

I shift more of my weight to my hand on the counter, so we’re inches apart.

“Are you nervous?”

“No.”

“You’re lying.”

“I’m thinking.”

“About leaving?”

Kayla laughs softly, but there’s something different about it now.

“You’re taking too much pleasure in this.”

“Possibly.”

The space between us feels charged, like the room is holding its breath.

Then Kayla suddenly stands, which puts her much closer than either of us expected.

She looks up at me. For half a second, I think she might actually hold her ground.

Instead, she steps back.

“Well,” she says lightly, “that escalated.”

I straighten. “You started it.”

“That’s true.”

She walks toward the hallway but pauses when she reaches the doorway.

Then she looks back at me.

“You know what the funny part is?” she says.

“What?”

“You almost had me convinced.”

“Of what?”

“That you’re dangerous.”

Her smile returns. That self-assured one again. She disappears down the hallway, and her bedroom door closes a second later.

I’m left standing in the kitchen with one very irritating realization.

Kayla walked away smiling.