Page 69 of Ruining His Smirk

“I believed my experience in sword fighting was enough. And it was not that formal. We are two men in Antarctica.”

“A sword is not the same as a fencing blade.”

“It’s not that fucking different either!”

“Yes, it is. There are rules!” His voice climbed with every word.

“I knew there were rules, Nate. I didn’t know there were extra rules!”

“Extra rules?”

A sound escaped him. I thought he was about to club me right there, but then his shoulders shook.

“Nate.”

He covered his mouth.

“You laughing at me?”

He turned his face away, but there was no hiding it now. Laughter broke from him, sharp and helpless, filling the tight cabin.

“You challenged me,” he managed, “with absolutely no idea what you were doing.”

“I knew what I was doing.”

“You did not know right of way existed.”

“I still almost won.”

“You did not almost win, you oaf! The right of way in fencing means the sequence of actions. It determines who is attacking. I initiated the attack, so when we both landed, the touch was mine. It did not matter whether your blade arrived a fraction before mine.”

“Well, that… ah, fuck.”

“I already had the attack. I knew the touch would be mine even if we both landed, and I was exhilarated. That was when I winked!”

“Exhilarated?”

“Yes. I was thrilled, Garrett! You had tested me to my limits. I was so impressed and attracted. I’ve trained for years. I have been in tournaments, but never did I have an opponent like you.”

“Jesus Christ,” I muttered.

“You honestly believed I had distracted you deliberately.”

“Yeah. So… you won fair.”

“Yes,” he said softly. “I did. But you were extraordinary. And I wanted you just as bad too.”

He leaned towards me. “I had spent the entire week watching you. Then I discovered you loved the same ridiculous stories I did. You were so handsome.”

“Nate…”

“I thought after the match we would speak. That it would be the beginning of something. I was flirting.”

“You took off your mask smiling,” I said.

“Yes.”

“I thought you were laughing at me.”