Page 152 of Burning Daylight

Understanding flashes over his face, and he gives a small smile before shaking his head. “Youdon’t want to be here.”

“Not really, no.”

His lips purse, and he leans in, his hand covering mine on top of the table.

I look down at it, waiting to feel…something. But I don’t.

Slowly, I move my hand back until he’s not touching me at all.

“My parents didn’t put me up to anything,” he replies. “I’m a grown man who makes the decisions I want, when I want. And Iwantto take you out. I…I’ve missed you, Jules. Is that so bad?”

My shoulders relax. “No, that’s not bad.”

I donotwant to date him again. In fact, thinking back, I’m not entirely sure if it was me who decided to pair up with him in the first place, or if it was something my mom whispered in my ear, even all those years ago. But I can’t help thinking maybe he’s stuck in this world, underneath his own family’s thumb the same way I am, despite him saying the opposite.

“If you have a horrible time and hate me, I promise I won’t push things. No matter how much your daddoesscare me.” He chuckles. “But I want you to want to be here, Jules. Remember all the fun we used to have?”

Not really.

But those aren’t the words I latch onto. “Why does my dad scare you?”

He looks at me, confused. “What do you mean?”

“You just said, ‘no matter how much your dad does scare me,’ and I’m just wondering why that is? I mean,yourdad is the governor. Why would mine be of any concern?” I rest my chin in my hand and flutter my lashes at him.

He takes a sip of his scotch and chuckles uncomfortably. “I mean, you have to know your dad is in bed with dangerous people.”

“Mm. Please, keep telling me about whatIknow.”

“You’re still so feisty.” He grins. “Give us a chance, sweetheart. If we happen to hit it off again and make our parents happy in the process…is that really such a bad thing?”

“Preston, don’t call mesweetheart, or my six-inch heels will end up in your lap. And it won’t be pleasant.”

“Sorry, old habits.” He puts his hands up like he’s waving a white flag. “Tell me about wanting to move out. I hear you’re wanting your own place?”

I tilt my head, keeping the smile on my face. “How did you…?”

He laughs. “Oh, I’m sorry. Are people not supposed to know about that? Your mom told me when we spoke the other day, and I just assumed it was public knowledge.”

A sinking feeling hits me in the gut.

It makes me uneasy knowing everyone is talking behind my back.

Plus, the reminder of just how much my mother truly likes Preston, and how in her pocket he is even after all these years, hits me in the face like an open-palm slap.

“What?” he asks, his grin dropping. “What did I say?”

Shaking my head, I swallow and glance down at my lap before looking back up at him. “Nothing. It’s just…you know how I feel about my mom.”

He’s no stranger to my tense relationship with her; he was often the in-between for us even back in high school and had to listen to me rant in the passenger seat of his car for hours after she did something that pissed me off.

“You’re still giving her a hard time, huh?” He chuckles.

I bristle, setting down my wine glass a little too hard. “I don’t know if that’s what I’d call it.”

“She just wants the best for you, Jules. One day you’ll realize that. She loves you.”

“My mother loves herself,” I correct. “Everything else is an obligation.”