Pride and Papercuts (The Austens #5) - Staci Hart Page 0,56
a yardstick.
By the time I reached them, I’d missed whatever question Liam had asked, only catching Wyatt’s response.
“Fuck you, Liam. Whatever you think I’m here for, you’re wrong.” Wyatt saw me and smiled. It was then I noticed his suitcase. “Hey,” he cooed. “I got called out for another story. I’m flying to Chicago tonight.”
Liam let out a singular, derisive laugh. I didn’t know at what.
Wyatt pinned him with a look.
“But you just got back. We had plans tomorrow night,” I noted, confused.
“I know, which is why I really wanted to see you before I left.” He took my hand. “I didn’t realize it was their party.”
Liam all but stepped between us. “You need to leave. Now, before Georgie sees you.”
“Jesus, Liam. You can’t let anybody decide what they want, can you? You think you’re better than every person in here, but you’re not. Do you get that? You’re not.”
“Oookay,” I said, stepping around Liam to take Wyatt’s opposite arm, turning him toward the door with the motion. “That’s enough of that. Liam, go that way.” I nodded to the back of the bar. “And you—this way.”
Liam didn’t move, just stood there like a goddamn grizzly bear in a suit, arms folded across his wide chest. He didn’t take his eyes off Wyatt.
I wanted to yell at both of them, but somebody had to keep their cool. So I put on my softest voice and guided Wyatt to the elevator well.
“So … you’re leaving?”
He huffed, dragging a hand through his hair. “Yeah. I … I wanted to say goodbye—I’ll be gone at least another week.”
The door dinged, and we stepped inside. When I turned, I found Liam still standing sentinel, ready to take Wyatt to the mat if he so much as stepped a foot into the bar again.
“I’m sorry. For coming here,” he clarified. “I honestly didn’t know they’d be here, or I’d never.”
I could have sworn I’d told him exactly what tonight was and who would be here. “I’m surprised to see you.”
He chuckled. “So much for my big, grand gesture.”
“Why do you need a gesture? Do something wrong?” I teased to cover my suspicion.
“No. I just wanted to talk to you. I … I want to see you. Officially. I’ve waited a long time to meet someone like you, Laney. When I get back, I want to take you on a date. A real date with a reservation and everything.”
I laughed, my cheeks flushed not from his proposal, but in a flustered, surprising discontent. “I don’t know. I’m partial to falafel.”
But he smiled, stepping into me, slipping his hand into my hair. “Say yes.”
My lips parted to speak, but before I could answer, he kissed me.
I experienced the kiss as if from some distance, noting things I should have been too distracted to note. Like his limp hand on my hip. Or the fervency with which he kissed me, mismatching my enthusiasm by double. Or the way his lips felt. Because they felt wrong.
Everything was off, our chemistry suddenly as dynamic as a stretch of prairie. Was it him? Was his enthusiasm genuine? Was he just a more charming version of Collin? Or was it me? Had Darcy somehow scrambled up my brains? An unbidden comparison flashed in my mind—Darcy and Wyatt, opposites in every way. Darcy’s dark features to Wyatt’s light. Darcy’s intensity to Wyatt’s charm.
When placed side by side, there was no comparison. Wyatt paled next to Liam.
And perhaps that was the most telling sign of all in the matter of Wyatt Wickham—I was thinking about Darcy while Wyatt kissed me.
When the kiss broke, I considered it again with a scientific objectivity. Wyatt, on the other hand, looked thrilled.
“So what do you say? Go on a date with me,” he said, pulling me into his side to press a kiss to my hair.
Again, nothing. No flip-flopping stomach or squeeze in my heart when both had been present dancing with Darcy.
The elevator doors opened, and we stepped out and toward the exit. “Wyatt, I—”
“Wait,” he said quietly. “Wait to answer until I get back. Tonight was a mistake, and I don’t want you to refuse because my timing was terrible. You’re rattled. Darcy does that.”
God, if that wasn’t the truth.
“I’m sorry I showed up. I’m so sorry I caused problems with Liam too. The last thing I want is to see the Darcys, and I definitely don’t want to put you in the middle of it. You know that, right?”