Page 28 of Beyond Question

Whose expression gives nothing away, but whose eyes are like ice as they focus on me. “That was… unexpected,” she says.

I bark out a laugh, then quickly close my mouth when her eyes tighten at the edges.

Right. Nothing about this is funny.

“So,” I say, clearing my throat, “would you like a glass of wine?” I grimace, because even I know it’s a stupid thing to leadwith after the interaction we just had, but I’m flailing here and no one seems to want to rescue me from this moment.

Paige laughs, but it’s not the fun-loving sound I memorized and play back whenever I miss her. “Oh, I’ll definitely be drinking wine tonight, but this isn’t happening.” She inclines her head. “Have a good night, Mr. Wilder.”

And we’re back to that again.

She turns and heads for the door, leaving me speechless. Shocked, though I know I shouldn’t be.

But what’s the big deal? It’s not like she caught me fucking her daughterright now.

Oh Jesus, Bronte is Paige’s daughter.

This is too fucked up.

I drop a few twenties on the table and hurry after Paige.

When I reach the sidewalk, I scan the area for her and find her a few yards north of the building, standing at the curb while her thumb moves over her phone screen almost as quickly as her feet carried her away from me. “Paige,” I call as I stride toward her.

She looks up, then frowns. “No.” She waves her hand. “There’s nothing more to say. It’s too weird already; let’s not make it worse.”

“Don’t go.”

“What?” She looks at me incredulously. “Why?”

I stop in front of her. “I don’t want you to.”

Paige blinks a few times, then shakes her head as if shaking away her confusion. “I’m sure I misunderstood you.”

“No, you didn’t. I don’t want you to go. We should… I don’t know… talk about this.”

She laughs and my shoulders fall.

“Honey, there’s nothing to talk about.”

She may be a bit older than me, but that’s the first time she’s spoken to me like she is.

“Don’t do that.” I shake my head. “Don’t condescend.”

She opens her mouth, then closes it and inclines her head. “You’re right. I’m sorry.” She sighs as she drops her head and focuses on her phone again.

“I’m serious. Have dinner with me like we planned.”

“We planned to havedrinks, and now I’ve changed my mind.” She closes her eyes on a long blink, then looks up at me. “You’ve known me for, what, a couple of weeks? Why are you so determined?”

I open my mouth to answer, but close it before the truth spills from my lips. She’s about to say goodbye to me. For real this time. Now is not the time to tell her that the night I spent with her was the best night I’ve had in as long as I can remember, and we didn’t even fuck. Hell, we didn’t evenkiss. She’s not only gotten under my skin, but somehow, in this short amount of time, I’ve developed real—

No.I’m not even going to think the word. Not when she’s finding any reason she possibly can to push me away.

I almost snort at the thought. Why am I surprised? She’s been running since the moment we felt this spark between us.

My mind floats back to that day. Cabot’s baby shower—and his warning.She’s not who she says she is.I’d pushed his overprotective bullshit to the back of my mind, but now I wonder…

Maybe she’s been running even longer than I realized.