Heartbreaker (Unbreakable #1)(36)

Filled with lots of unexpected events.

And one big revelation.

I’d let it go too far without realizing it—I’d let Darren get too close.





Darren…

Kiki had gotten spooked.

Normally a happy chatterbox, for the last day and a half, she’d pulled back to one-word answers in texts. Hadn’t answered my calls.

Yeah, I got it. We were both trying to deal with new shit.

In fact, Tuesday night shocked the hell out of me. Not because of Logan being on the roof, but how my sister reacted to another girl anywhere near me. She’d been interested in Kiki, had drawn her closer, wanted to get to know her.

Which was a first. A complete one-eighty from the cold indifference or hateful glares that had happened in the past.

And yet, I was different with Kiki too. Maybe that was the reason.

But the sudden frostiness from Kiki? Not cool. And it ended today.

I couldn’t wait until afternoon to see her. So last night, I’d requested a morning run.

Her reply?



Fine



When I woke up, I sent another:



Meet you at your place.



The same one-word gem fired back, minutes later:



Fine



Today I would push her. See what she was made of. Physically. Mentally.

Because I no longer wanted Kiki at a distance. Her as just a friend would no longer work. And I for damn sure didn’t want her for only a one-night stand.

No. Kiki didn’t know it yet, but if she wanted to run from me? I would chase.

I pulled beside her car, then shifted into park. But I didn’t get a chance to cut the engine before she opened the passenger door and climbed onto her seat.

“Hi!” She fastened her seatbelt, then stared at me.

Her tone had an unhealthy level of cheer so early in the morning. And I hadn’t had enough caffeine yet. When I reached to the floorboard to grab the tray of coffees I’d brought, she bent down at the same time.

Our arms brushed, her left, my right.

The backs of our hands touched for a brief second. Our fingers tangled together. And we paused there, like the shock of the contact needed a moment to settle in, and we didn’t want to break away, not yet.

Until we did. Suddenly. She yanked her hand back, curling it into her chest. Then she cleared her throat and with her other hand, lifted the cardboard tray.

We both leaned back, out of apparent danger.

She unscrewed her coffee from its holder, then lifted the tray, offering me mine. I stared at her the entire time while I grabbed my cup, waiting for her to say something.

Until she didn’t. And I’d had enough of the awkward. “You okay?”

“Of course.”

Flippant.

“Bullshit.” Yep. I was calling it.

“I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not.”

She inhaled a deep breath, then let out a heavy sigh, her upper body collapsing against the seatback. “It’s too early to talk so much. Can’t we just run?”

“No. We talk. And it’s way beyond time for it.”

“Fine.” There was that word again—no better said than texted. “What do you want to talk about?”

“Us.”

“There is no ‘us.’”

I let out dry laugh. “Keep telling yourself that. Doesn’t make it any truer.”

She brought her cup to her lips, took several swallows while staring at the dashboard, then pulled the paper cup down to her lap. She stared at it, picking at the seam of the protective sleeve at the top until it pried apart.

In a quiet voice, she finally said, “There can’t be an ‘us.’”

“Why not?”

“There just can’t.”

“I’m calling bullshit again. Throwing a big yellow bullshit-fowl flag into the air.”

“Haven’t you ever been rejected before? You’re not taking this very well.”

“Not from a woman who wanted me.”

“Do not.”

“Do too.” In the silence that followed, our words echoed in my head. “What are we, five?”

Amusement flashed in her eyes. “Apparently.”

“What’s the problem? You wanted me. I had roadblocks to that happening. They’re gone now.”

“Did you ever consider that I only wanted you when I couldn’t have you?”

“That makes no sense.”

“Sure it does.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “You were fair game when I could have something only physical. Now it’s too late.”

“Buuullshit.” My new favorite word. But there was a big stinking pile of it between us, and I wasn’t done shoveling yet.

“Truth.” She gave a half-shrug.

“Maybe your misguided understanding of it. Look, Kiki. I haven’t been able to have any kind of relationship with a girl since…since Logan bottled up and lashed out.”

“What’s suddenly changed?”

“She seems to like you.”

“That’s part of the problem.” Her voice quieted.

“What? I still don’t get it.”

“That’s the reason we” —she pointed a finger back and forth between our chests— “can never happen.”