Page 142 of Spurred On

She tried to hide her cringe. She didn’t have any desire to share her deepest darkest anything. Not with anybody.

“Sid.”

Hoots rounded the room as Porsche fished some more. As Sidney waited, a strange sensation rippled down her spine. She knew. She just knew whose name Porsche would call.

She wasn’t sure if she should be thrilled or horrified when it happened. With a large grin that would make the Cheshire cat jealous, Porsche murmured, “And Cody.”

Crap.

She glanced at him, but he wasn’t looking at her. He stood slowly and then offered her his hand. Together, and ignoring the blathering of the crowd, they walked into the other room and closed the door.

To her horror, it was a bedroom.

Good lord.How awkward.

She stood with her back to him, her fingers linked tightly. The cumbersome silence between them swelled. He broke it with a sigh.

“We don’t have to do this,” he said.

She glanced at him over her shoulder. Tried for a smile. “If we disappoint Porsche, she’ll have us flogged.”

“She doesn’t have the authority.”

“Technically, she does. At least, according to her. You see, the bride controls all space and time.”

He snorted. “She needs to stop watching that bride show on TV.”

Against her will, Sidney laughed. “Yes, she does.” She turned then and faced him—and her fears—head-on. “So . . . Shall we?”

“Okay.” He sat on the bed, drew a card from the deck and read it. “Favorite color?”

She cast about for an answer, but nothing came to mind. “Clear.”

“Mine is brown.”

“Whose favorite color is brown?”

“Whose is clear?” He grinned at her and drew another card. “Favorite subject in high school?”

“Lunch.”

“Come on, Sidney. We agreed to try.”

“I am trying. This game is stupid.”

“I’m not denying that.” He took another card. “What is your heart’s desire?”

She glowered and snatched the card from him. “That’s not what it says.”

“I know. But it’s what I want to know.” He said this in such a low, somber, sincere tone that caught her attention, caught at her heart. His expression was open, vulnerable and raw. So much so it hurt to look at him. Nonetheless, she stared at him for a long moment, as two sides of her warred.

On the one hand, there was the bitter, wounded side that wanted to resist anything to do with him. And then there was the other side, the one that would do anything to turn back the clock and make things right between them.

She couldn’t ignore the fact that this might be her chance.

This might be her only chance.

And she was tired of being bitter and wounded.