"Bullshit," he grunts. "You just said you don't know me, and I live there. You haven't heard everything."
I think about his words while ignoring his bad mood. "True, but I willfully avoided knowing you. I know most people worth knowing. Those college students don't interest me. I saw how they followed Bailey around, wanting to bask in her light. I don't need groupies. The twins treat me like an equal and make me work to be heard. I never get that back home."
We stop at a small creek, nearly dried up from the heat. Jace crosses his arms and bumps me.
"You're living in a fantasy because you don't want to go home. You have to make Ellsberg boring and this place exciting. Otherwise, you'll realize what you're missing."
"I know what I miss and he's not coming back. Everyone in Ellsberg wants to forget him, but I never will."
"No one wants to forget Kirk. They just hide their pain better than you."
"Aren't you all kinds of thoughtful this evening."
"I don't give a shit if you like me or not, Sawyer."
Studying his face, I can't tell if he's lying. When Jace pulls into himself, he's a frigging mystery, even to himself.
"Okay," I say finally.
"I'm here to do a job."
"I understand," I add, nearly laughing at him. "You do your job while I go ahead and ignore you doing it."
Jace says nothing during the walk along the paths leading through the woods before we head back to the house. Before reaching the pool area, he's slapping his arms to kill mosquitoes feasting on him.
"That hasn't changed," I say, grinning. "Bugs still think you're delicious."
Jace grunts and slaps his arm again. "I need to pick up bug repellent."
Our gazes meeting, I remember rubbing the spray all over his skin. I suspect he's remembering how often those caresses turned softer and hotter until we never reached the river.
Jace reaches out and caresses my cheek with the back of his hand. I struggle not to show how good his touch feels. I also fail.
"We should be friends again," he murmurs.
"Why?" I ask, adding more space between us.
"I miss you," he says, and I flash him a dirty look. "We were friends for longer than we were lovers. I wish we could be friends again."
I'm uninterested in returning to a time when Jace was only my confident. "I don't want to be friends with you."
Jace moves quickly, yet I'm not startled when his lips meet mine. I suck at his tongue while shoving him away. The kiss ends before he returns for a second. I nearly tackle him, wanting more than a kiss. Forcing my lips away, I move around a chair to keep him from making another move.
"I don't want to be your friend," I say as if I can't still taste him.
"How do you know? You say I'm different now. Maybe you'll like the new me. We should find out."
"Why?"
My question startles him, and Jace frowns at me. "Don't you miss being friends?"
"You broke my heart. Why would I ever want to be your friend?"
"I didn't take you for cowardly."
"It's called common sense, asshole."
Jace glances over my head at another flock of geese. When his gaze returns to me, I sense he's sad. Or least pretending to be.
"This might be the last time we can hang out together like this. Eventually, Cooper will realize you won't come home, and he'll have me return to Ellsberg. If we want to be friends again, this would be the time."
"You're manipulating me."
"How can you know what I'm doing when you don't really know me anymore?"
"Stop using my words against me," I growl, crossing my arms over my nipples poking excitedly through my tee.
Jace gives me a grin, and I want to laugh so badly. Moving around the chair, he nudges me with his knee and leans closer. The proximity of his lips makes me edgy. They're so damn kissable.
"You were the best friend I ever had, Sawyer Johansson. I messed up what we had, but we're strong enough to overcome my stupidity."
"I'm over you," I say in a way that proves I'm lying.
"The romance stuff between us is old news."
Ignoring Jace's fingers playing with one of my curls, I mutter, "That's easy for you to say. You dumped me. You had nothing to get over."
"But you're over me."
I loved Jace for half of my life. He was my best friend before he was my lover. I planned our entire lives out. He was my love. One day, I believe he would be my husband and the father of my perfectly gorgeous kids. Yet suddenly all of my love meant shit, and he was gone. Now, I'm torn between resentment and longing.
"I'll think about it," I say, slapping his face.
Jace narrows his eyes, yet says nothing. I only smile at his expression.
"Mosquito," I lie. "Let's see if the McLaughlins have any repellent before you're eaten alive."