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Mason flipped his hand so he could link his fingers with mine. Having this camaraderie with him was nice. But I didn’t feel that same jolt I did when Peter or Killian touched me. “It is.”
My gaze flicked to just over Mason’s shoulder as movement caught my eye. Killian sat at the same table, nursing what looked like his original drink. His eyes were fixed on me and his jaw was tight. The knot in my gut that had released while talking to my ‘date’ resurfaced.
I slowly slid my hand from Mason’s grasp.
He flashed me a sympathetic grin, tilted his head in Killian’s direction, and lowered his voice. “I take it he’s the one you have your heart set on? He hasn’t taken his eyes off you all night.”
Fire shot up my core and settled in my cheeks. “Oh, um, no, no. We’re just friends.”
“I know it’s none of my business, but the daggers he’s been shooting the other guys might say differently.”
I giggled nervously, sneaking a glance at Killian. Our eyes met, and for a moment, I forgot to breathe. “I think you just misunderstood. He’s like a big brother to me.” The lie felt like ash on my tongue and I realized I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was trying to convince myself more than Mason.
The final timer sounded, ending the event. Mason stood and offered me his hand. “It was nice meeting you, Trissa. I hope you find what you’re looking for.” He lifted my hand and lightly pressed his lips to the back of my knuckles. “I look forward to seeing you again someday.” He released me and left.
Killian’s hand closed firmly around my elbow. “I think it’s time to go.” He practically growled in my ear.
The possessiveness of his tone shot a thrill right through me. I’d have to squash that. It wasn’t him my heart wanted. I shouldn’t be reacting to him like this.
It must be the stress of the event. The relief of the familiar, safe, face.
Yeah. It had to be. Otherwise …
Squash it, Byrd!
“But I have to turn in my sheet,” I protested, not understanding the fierce way he tucked me under his arm and urged me toward the door. His body was warm against mine, and I leaned into him despite my confusion.
He yanked the dating score sheet away from me, balled it up, and dropped it on the floor.
“Killian, you can’t just litter?—”
His rough grunt stopped me from speaking. He picked up the paper and tossed it into the nearest trash receptacle. What was happening right now?
We stepped out into the cool night air. Killian’s arm was still around me. He could’ve let me go at this point, but he didn’t. I was confused, more than a bit frustrated, and … something else too … something that made me uneasy, but in a delicious kind of way.
Nope. Not delicious. Delirious. You’re mad, remember. Stay mad!
“Killian,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “What’s going on?”
He stopped abruptly and turned to face me. His blue eyes were dark, intense, and for the second time this evening I thought he might kiss me. But no, that was crazy. This was Killian. We were nothing more than friends.
“Nothing,” he spat.
I jerked away, stung by the harshness of his tone.
He didn’t say it, but I wondered if the tension between us was his frustration over how disastrous the speed dating had gone. From where he sat, I know he heard every conversation I had. He must have realized this was why I couldn’t get Peter to notice me. I was too awkward. Inept. A hot mess. Comically deficient.
“I just …” he started, then pulled off his hat and ran a hand through his hair, yanking the man bun out and looking uncharacteristically flustered. “I didn’t like seeing you with all those guys. They weren’t good enough for you.”
“But that was the whole point,” I said, confusion clear in my voice. “Practice, remember? How am I going to learn how to attract someone without practice?”
“Yeah, well, maybe this wasn’t the best way for us to figure things out for you.”
I didn’t miss how he side-stepped; directly mentioning how this was supposed to be for him to observe me.
My gaze swung down to the asphalt beneath my feet. It was like I’d disappointed him without understanding how. “You were the one who suggested this. I didn’t want to do it, remember?Youinsisted.”
He nudged my chin, forcing me to look directly into his azure depths. “I did.”