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Wake up, asshole, and stop staring at her.So much for what he’d told himself about control. And despite what she’d said, Levi was into her. She could get hurt.
“You need to be careful about Levi.” He picked up a curled caterpillar from the rocks and placed it in the grass.
“Back to this again?”
“I’m just trying to protect you.” He straightened.
“I’m pretty sure he’s not the brother I need protecting from.”
Smart ass. She did have some comebacks, but he was too fired up to appreciate them.
“Levi shouldn’t have left you at the house. My mother was worried about you. You didn’t tell anyone you were leaving.”
Crystal’s nose wrinkled. “I never meant to upset her. I’m not used to…never mind.” She thrust her shoulders back. “You should be thrilled I can’t carry out my devious plot to play her.”
He cocked his head. What was Crystal not used to? People being nice to her? The press had fawned over her forever.
He rubbed his temple. Regardless, he hadn’t followed her to fight. “You aren’t making it easy for me to apologize.”
She tossed her hair back. “I don’t want or need your apology.”
The floral scent of her shampoo drifted past, teasing his nose. How could she smell so good after running in the heat? He cursed to himself. This was the shit that had gotten him into trouble at the barn.
“Well, I want to clear the air. I can admit when I’ve made a mistake. It won’t happen again.”
“A mistake?” She bristled.
“Yeah, I own up to my mistakes.”
“Good to know.” She dusted off her arm. “You might want to talk to a therapist because they can help people like you.”
His body went rigid. How did she know about his PTSD? “People like me?”
“Yes. There’s a psychological disorder where fans become obsessed with a celebrity and fantasize about them and sometimes even stalk them.”
Relief flooded through him. She wasn’t referring to his PTSD.
But then her snarky comment annoyed the shit out of him. He didn’t follow Hollywood stars or care about their fake lives. He snorted. “You think I’m crazy and stalking you?”
“You did chase me into the woods, fanboy.” She jutted out her chin.
“To apologize to you.”
“For what? I told you nothing happened as far as I am concerned.” She flicked a bug off her shirt. “And your obsession with me is referred to as being de-lu-sion-al.”
More denial. His head reeled at the sing-song way she mocked him, dragging out the word. “Stop deflecting and pretending you don’t know what I’m talking about. You were there, and it was real.”
She shrugged. “Sorry. No idea.”
“You’re not getting off that easy. It wasn’t just me.”
He took a step forward, snagged her hand, and brought it to his chest. “This ring any bells?”
She caught her breath and gazed at his mouth.
His skin blazed where her soft hand rested. He couldn’t stop his thumb from rubbing the side of her palm.
Her eyes widened, and the lines of her face softened.
