Page 41 of A Winter Wish

She glanced over at Theo to see a flicker of a grimace there. “Shit, Lexie, I’m—”

“But no. You don’t think, do you? As usual, you are jumping to assumptions about me, and then blaming me for those assumptions, like I’ve done something terrible to you, personally.”

“I don’t—”

“Maybe next time, Theo, you can keep your opinions to your damn self. Maybe you could remember what you said in France—that we don’t know what each other is thinking.” She stopped a yard or so away from him, folding her arms and mimicking his pose. God, she shouldn’t have let herself get drawn in, even for a second—should have remembered the many reasons she did not like this man.

“You’re right,” he said quietly, the fire in his eyes banking a little. “I’m sorry.”

She frowned. She didn’t know what to do, when he came barreling in one minute, then apologized the next. “Right,” she said. “Well, then.”

“I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions.”

“Why buck a trend?” she muttered under her breath. But he was apologizing here—and she didn’t want to keep arguing. So she lifted her chin, looked him in the eye. “OK, fine. You’re sorry.”

Yes, great, sound more like a petulant child, why don’t you, Lexie?

He took a step toward her, and it seemed careful. “I really am sorry. I just didn’t like seeing it.”

“Rachel getting upset?” she asked quietly.

“Both of you getting upset.”

He kept his gaze on hers as he said that, and she felt her breath hitch, just a little. Found herself remembering what it had been like, to pull him toward her, to feel his mouth on hers.

“But I know it’s not that easy,” he continued, then shook his head cynically—not at her, she realized, but at himself. “Trust me—despite the incredible lack of judgment I’ve displayed when it comes to you, I do get the whole complicated family thing. And I have a habit of projecting sometimes.”

He took another careful step toward her, and she swallowed. There was only a matter of inches between them now.

“I’m sorry,” he said again, his voice no more than a murmur.

His eyes held hers in a way that was both too intense and impossible to look away from. Would it be the same, if she kissed him now? Would it send her blood humming? Already she felt a pull inside her, one that she wanted to deny. What was with this? How could she go from being mad at him to wanting him within the space of minutes? The air between them thickened, and she felt sure he knew exactly where her brain had gone. Seemingly of its own accord, her own gaze dropped to his mouth. When she looked back up, the amber in his dark eyes flared.

Then the door swung open, and the two of them jumped apart.

“Well,” said Ange, looking between them. “I’m all for a healthy argument, but poor Harry out there has turned up the music so loud that it’s impossible to get any work done, even in the flat.” Lexie cringed internally. “Now, Theo,” Ange said, turning to look at him sternly, “leave Lexie alone. She’s right. Her relationship with her family isn’t any of your business, unless she wants it to be.” He winced a little. “And Lexie.” She gave Lexie a once-over, like she was checking for damage. “I’m all for not bottling everything up, but I doubt you want strangers overhearing you, so maybe take a beat and come back out when you’re ready?”

Lexie nodded, and Ange gave them both another glance, before turning to leave.

The door clicked shut behind her, and Theo and Lexie looked at each other again. There was a moment of silence between them. Then Lexie made a snap decision. She grabbed her coat off the hook and headed for the door, Theo moving out of her way as she did so. Because as much as she still wanted to put off talking to Rachel, she didn’t like the idea of her hurting. And because, in that moment, running after Rachel seemed like a safer option, all things considered, than staying in this room with Theo.

Chapter Seventeen

Lexie saw the back of Rachel’s head as she stepped out of the office. “Rachel!” She ran the few steps to catch up with her, as Rachel turned, eyes a little guarded. She had that rare combination of dark hair and blue eyes, and it was really quite striking.

“Wasn’t sure I’d catch up with you,” Lexie said, pulling her jacket tighter to her. It was bright and sunny outside, but right now the chill in the air was still biting.

“I was moving quite slowly,” Rachel admitted. She had a soft Welsh accent—and the contrast between that and Lexie’s own accent was another thing that marked them out as different. “I was hoping you’d change your mind.”

“Did Theo tell you he was going to go after me or something?”

“No. But I guessed that’s what he was going to do after he stormed out after you.”

Lexie scowled and shoved her hands into her jacket pockets. “He’s an arrogant coal-eyed demon bat.”

Rachel let out a quiet snort.

“Actually that’s not really fair—bats get a bad rap and are actually quite cute.”