Page 70 of The Best of Friends

“You’re leaving?”

She shut the door and found David next to her, in the quiet hallway.

“I want to talk to you,” he told her.

“This isn’t a good time.”

She tried to move past him, but the hallway wouldn’t allow that, not without their touching. And despite everything that had happened, she couldn’t brush against him without wanting to lean in and beg.

“This time works for me,” he told her.

“Then that’s what matters, isn’t it?” she snapped, feeling her temper flare. “Because it’s all about you. What I want isn’t important. You have spoken. Let David’s will be done.”

He folded his arms across his chest. “The sarcasm is a nice touch.”

“You like it? You earned it. What do you want? Obviously not to respect my request that we not do this here and now.”

“I respected your wishes. I wanted you to come as my date, and you refused. I didn’t push.”

“No. You were sullen and obviously pissed. Not the least bit gracious. You didn’t try to see my side of things. But you didn’t push. Yay, you.”

“Jayne,” he began, dropping his arms to his side. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

“How did you mean it? We’re talking because this is a good time for you. I’m supposed to quiver with gratitude because you didn’t push. Let’s be clear. Your asking me out to something doesn’t obligate me to go with you.”

“I know.”

“Do you also know what this party is about? It’s your chance to find the right kind of girl to marry. Your mother has some very clear ideas on that, and obviously you don’t disagree, because you were fine with the party. Then you invite me as your date. What the hell is up with that? Are you too frightened to stand up to your mother? Is some twisted passive-aggressive response better? You won’t tell her no, but you’ll bring someone like me just to piss her off ? That’s mature. And doesn’t it do great things for my relationship with her?”

Not that Elizabeth was going to be speaking to her anytime soon, but that wasn’t the point.

She slung her purse over her shoulder, then planted her hands on her hips. “Where do you get off using me like that?”

“I’m not using you,” he growled. “I wanted you to be my date because I wanted to spend time with you.”

“Atthisparty? Does anything about that strike you as smart? Or even reasonable? You told your mother you’d come home to L.A. to get married. Were you lying?”

“No.”

“Then go find a wife. I’m busy.”

She started to push past him, but he wouldn’t let her. He shifted in front of her, blocking her exit.

“That’s it?” he asked. “You don’t care that I’m supposed to find my future bride here?”

“It has nothing to do with me.” She might be wild about him, but she wasn’t an idiot. Unlike some others she could name.

“We slept together, Jayne. Doesn’t that mean anything to you?”

It meant more than he could ever know. The night had been magical, but not as perfect as the man. It wasn’t just the things he’d done to her body—it was the way he’d made her laugh. How they’d talked until two, then made love again. It was him in her shower, yelling that her shampoo was going to make him smell like a girl.

She stared into his impossibly blue eyes. “It was meaningless.”

A muscle in his cheek twitched. “To you.”

“No, David. It was meaningless to you.”

He swore. “Because I’d have sex with anyone who was convenient?”