Page 39 of Ruining His Smirk

“Two days ago,” he said, “you told me you were going to set boundaries.”

I lowered my cup. “I did.”

Keith’s eyebrow climbed higher.

“I literally went up to his face and laid down my boundaries. I behaved like a… a hooligan!”

His mouth twitched.

“And he agreed with me, too. He said, and I quote, I don’t know where you got the idea that I’m interested in you, Braddock, or your opinion, or anything you have to say to me.”

He pushed away from the door and came farther into the lab, stopping on the opposite side of the counter.

I glared at him over the rim of my tea and slurped loudly.

“What happened in the Zodiac did not look much like boundaries from where I was standing.”

Heat climbed into my face with such force that I briefly considered opening the scientific freezer and putting my head inside it.

“It was an… intense moment.”

“I noticed.”

“Lady had returned.” I waved a hand around. “She had a calf. She breached directly beside us. My judgment was temporarily impaired.”

Keith nodded again. “And when he kissed you?”

“My judgment remained impaired.”

“Severely so.”

“Oh, sod off.”

His expression changed then, some of the amusement fading from it.

“Are you saying you like him now?”

“No.”

Keith watched me.

“No,” I repeated. “I still hate him.”

“Then why did you kiss him back?”

My mouth opened. Nothing came out.

Somewhere inside the wall, one of the refrigeration units clicked and began another cooling cycle. I stared down into my tea as though an answer might have settled at the bottom with the leaves.

I looked up and shrugged.

Keith sighed. “I just don’t want you repeating the mistakes of your past.”

I set the cup down harder than necessary. “I know that.”

“Nate.”

“I’m not twenty anymore.”