first time.”
I can feel him looking at me, and I start to squirm uneasily. The conversation that I know he wants to have isn’t one I’m in the mood for. I’m too emotionally fragile right now.
“Are you going to tell me why you were crying?”
“No.”
“Did it have anything to do with me?”
This time I do snort out loud. “Of course not.” My voice went a little higher than normal, and he grunts. I guess he knows I’m lying. Gritting my teeth, I cross my arms defensively. “I have other things going on in my life, Bryce.”
“Are we going to talk?”
“About what?” How he left me hanging in my driveway? Ignored my call? Flirted with some other woman?
“Clearly, you’re pissed at me. You have every right to be. But we need to talk so kindly put aside your sass for a few minutes.”
I round on him with a withering glare. “My sass?”
Staring straight ahead, he shrugs. I can still make out the smug grin on his profile. I want to slap the sexy smirk off his handsome face. Or kiss it off. I can’t believe I’m thinking about kissing him when I’m supposed to be mad at him. Ugh. I’m thoroughly disgusted with myself.
“We don’t need to talk about anything right now. I’m not in the…” I sit forward to peer through the windshield. “Hey, this isn’t Chief Traverse’s street.”
“No it isn’t. It’s my street.”
I gasp. “I’m not going to your place.”
“We’re already here.”
He turns into a driveway. The wrought iron gates are already opening. “This is basically kidnapping, you know that right? You’re kidnapping me, Bryce.”
“And you’re being dramatic.”
Slack-jawed, I stare at him. I can’t believe he brought me to his place. “Why you arrogant―”
“Why are you so worried about being alone with me, Abby. You enjoyed the last time we were alone, didn’t you?”
Mouth opening and closing, I struggle to find words. My face feels like it’s on fire. The rest of my body too. That’s mostly because of the memories he just conjured. My indignation dies down and I just feel...exhausted. “But then you just left…” I hate that my voice sounds so small and distressed.
I can’t make out his expression in the dark, but I hear him sigh long and hard. “I’m sorry. I overreacted. It wasn’t my proudest moment.”
We sit in silence for a while before he says, “So, I sort of kidnapped you. You can give me hell about it tomorrow. Please, just come inside. We don’t have to talk tonight if you don’t want to. You need to rest, you look like hell.”
“Gee, thanks. That’s what every woman wants to hear.”
I can’t see him all that well, but I can imagine that he’s smiling. With a resigned sigh, I mutter, “Fine.”
Bryce’s place isn’t the typical bachelor pad. The contemporary design of the place looks, expertly done. The two-story house boasts an immaculate front lawn from what I glimpse in the dark during the short walk to the porch. The neighbors’ houses are all a decent distance away. Bryce seems to love his privacy.
“I’ll show you to a guest room.”
My heart jolts at the thought of entering any bedroom with him. “No need. I can crash on the couch.”
He frowns. “I won’t allow it. Come on.”
Reluctantly, I follow. The thought of a bed is appealing after the day I’ve had. The guest room turns out to be almost as big as my entire house. “Thank you.”
“Take a warm shower and join me in the kitchen.”
“I really wish you’d stop ordering me around.”
“Fine. Join me in the kitchen after your shower, pretty please.” He’s obviously fighting back a smile, and I scowl at him. “Everything you need is the bathroom.”
Glaring daggers at his back as he saunters out, I let out a sigh. The second he’s gone, I let out a growl and drop to the nearest armchair. I don’t want to join him anywhere right now but there’s no avoiding the talk we have to have. Maybe it’s best to get it out of the way.
My steps into the kitchen are tentative as my eyes move over everything. The state of the art appliances are a dream. They call to my inner chef. “Your kitchen is nice,” I note.
Bryce is standing beside the stove with his back turned. It looks like he took the time to change into more comfortable clothing while I was in the shower. Hearing me, he turns around. He goes still, his eyes moving over me from head to toe. Self-consciously,