Page 41 of The Wedding Pact

I’m not entirely sure what I’m waiting for, but it seems important not to just escape off to my room.

My pulse beats hard in my throat as we look at each other, both seemingly trying to read the other’s expression.

But we don’t know each other well enough yet.

He walks towards me, every step bringing with it a rise in delicious tension in my chest, but stops a foot or so away, the corner of his mouth lifting in a challenging grin.

The air feels charged between us. At least I don’t think I’m imagining that.

I also don’t think he’s going to make a move.

He’s too controlled.

Or is he?

He’s certainly not moving now. Just standing there, looking at me, his piercing gaze roving over my face like he’s searching for something specific in my expression.

‘Well done,’ he murmurs, his voice sounding rougher than normal. ‘I seem to have met my match.’

‘Does that bother you?’ I ask, my voice a little wavery too.

‘Not at all. I’m glad to have someone so entertaining around, to be honest. I thought this trip was going to be difficult at best, but you’ve moved it up a whole level – to entirely tolerable.’

I can’t help but grimace at that. ‘Well, I can’t say “entirely tolerable” is what I usually go for when I’m hanging out with people, but hey ho.’

He shakes his head and screws up his face a little in a show of contrition. ‘Yeah, that didn’t come out right. What I meant was I’m really glad you’re here as my wedding buddy. I had fun today. I’m glad you persuaded me to go seabobbing with you instead of working. So thanks, I owe you one.’

Even though he’s still looking at me with that intense gaze of his, the heat I thought I saw only a few minutes ago has been carefully withdrawn.

If it was ever there in the first place.

He’s corrected his course and is clearly still set on honouring our pact to just hang out here as friends.

Disappointment floods through me and I’m surprised to find myself on the edge of tears. Which is a weird reaction.

Perhaps it’s something to do with the adrenaline from the activity running out.

Whatever. It’s probably best to cut my losses and go and shower now, even though I’m still kinda hoping he’ll change his mind and make a move.

I draw in a breath, ready to state my intentions, when he suddenly steps forwards, leans in towards me, then at the last second swerves to the right and kisses me on the cheek.

There’s a microsecond when my brain is unsure how to react to this, and to my horror I just freeze in surprise, my whole body tensing.

Clearly taking this as a rejection, he pulls back quickly and gives me a tight smile.

‘Okay. Shower time,’ he says, ‘see you in a bit.’ Then he strides swiftly off in the direction of his room, closing the door firmly behind him.

The sound of it rings in my ears for a moment and my mind whirrs.

That might have been the one and only opportunity to turn this into something more between us and I well and truly fucked it up.

Flopping onto the sofa, I cover my face with my hands and make a disgusted face at myself then repeatedly stamp my feet onto the floor in frustration.

Deep down, though, I know it was the best move for him to walk away. If anything does develop between us while we’re here, I need to know that it’s because he genuinely likes me and wants it to, not because he was full of adrenaline too and letting his dick decide in the moment.

Yeah. I need to wind my neck in.

And take a shower.