Page 27 of Trust Fund Baby

I tried to let out a sharp laugh, but it came out more like a choking sound. He always could read me so easily. It had been more than just curiosity that made me respond to those emails. Part of me had missed the verbal jabs, the push and pull, the way he could get under my skin with one look and take up all the oxygen in the room.

But I’d be damned if I’d ever let him know that.

Which is why I was glad when I came to my senses and stopped responding to those stupid emails of his.

“You always did have an over-inflated sense of your own importance,” I said coolly, reaching for my water bottle and taking a slow sip. “It’s impressive, really. You should teach a class.”

“Only if you promise to sit in the front row.”

“You’d love that, wouldn’t you?” I muttered, turning my face back toward the sun.

“Every second.”

My hands curled into the towel at the sound of his voice—low and amused. It was the same tone he always took when he knew he was about to win. When he was about to tip me over the edge.

But before I could snap back, regain some control of the conversation, Sebastian hauled himself out of the pool. Water sluiced down his chest and stomach, drawing my eyes down to the ridges of his abdominal muscles. I turned my head before he noticed me staring, refusing to give him the satisfaction. But the outline of his body still flashed behind my eyelids like a taunt.

How in the hell did he look even better wet?

“You know,” he said, walking over to grab his towel from his lounge chair and rubbing it through his hair. “If you really didn’t want me here, you could have told James to uninvite me.”

“I didn’t know you were coming.”

“Oh.” He raised his eyebrows, towel hanging loosely from his shoulders. “Hallie didn’t tell you?”

“She said James invited someone. She didn’t say it was you.” I left out the part about not having told Hallie about him.

He smirked. “And now here we are.”

I rolled my eyes so hard I practically saw my brain. “I swear, if you give me that look one more time, I’m going to put your sunglasses in the blender.”

“Wouldn’t be the first time you hurt my feelings,” he said after a minute, voice low.

The hot summer air felt like it dropped a few degrees.

“You did your fair share of hurting feelings, too, Sebastian.”

That landed between us like a lit match dangerously close to a bottle of kerosene.

The tension, which had been mostly teasing until now, suddenly tilted in a very different direction. It was like reality coming back into the picture. Unspoken history lodged like glass between our ribs.

I stood quickly, suddenly wanting to be anywhere but here. “You know what? I need a break. Preferably one that doesn’t involve you acting like this is some kind of summer camp reunion. So don’t follow me this time, alright?”

“I was just trying to be friendly,” he said, suddenly standing close. Too close.

“Well,” I said, tilting my head up to meet his eyes, “stop.”

Seb sucked in a breath like he wanted to say something else. And there was no way I was going to stand there and listen to him apologize.

“We’re back! And James forgot the chips. Can you believe that?”

I seized the moment like it was a life raft.

“Thank God,” I muttered, stepping around Sebastian and making a beeline for the kitchen. I didn’t even glance back as I called over my shoulder, “Maybe the groceries will have better manners than you.”

Inside, Hallie was unloading bags onto the marble island. James was beside her looking half-apologetic, half-annoyed.

“Hey,” she said, catching sight of me. “You good?”