Turning, she face him full on, looking up into his eyes to try and determine what he was hiding. “Reid, who lives in that house behind the pool?”
He watched her for a long moment, not giving anything away. “Technically, this house is behind the pool.”
She rolled her eyes, trying for patience. And trying not to laugh at his stubborn refusal to answer the question. “You’re splitting hairs.”
His hand moved up, a finger curling around one of her dark locks. “You really are beautiful, Selena.”
She pulled away from him, not believing him for a moment. “I’m not beautiful in any way, Reid. And you’re avoiding the question.”
His eyes sharpened. “You’re kidding, right?”
Selena’s heart froze and everything inside of her tightened with dread. Memories of past dates, the tricks and the taunts, the hope crushed under the cruel heel of men who…had hurt her more than she’d ever admit out loud. “Don’t do this, Reid. If you don’t want to tell me who lives there, then we’ll leave it at that. But don’t play with me.”
Pushing away from the column he moved closer to her. His voice softened and she struggled to resist the sincerity and concern in his eyes. “Selena, who told you that you aren’t beautiful?”
She crossed her arms over her chest. This was not a conversation she was going to have with Reid. He was muscular and smart, funny and confident; everything she’d always wished she could be. He walked through life knowing that he could have and do anything. Reid Jones was one of “them” while she…wasn’t. She’d been the girl left at home every homecoming. She’d been the girl that…well, prom night wasn’t something she thought about. Ever! It was so cliché, but she didn’t care. People joked about their prom nights, about the things that went wrong, laughing at a dress strap that broke, or how they’d imbibed too much. Or whatever. But they’d never experienced the crushing pain of…the pain of being humiliated.
Turning away from him, she stomped towards the front door. “Fine! I’m calling a cab. This conversation is over.”
Selena moved away from him, ready to storm out of the beautiful house and leave him to himself. She had a phone and cash. A cab could take her back to the hotel and she’d just…
She didn’t make it two steps before his arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her right back in front of him. “What the hell, Selena! You don’t really believe that, do you?”
She tried to pull away, but he wouldn’t allow it. So instead, she stood there, trembling with fury.
“High school,” he guessed.
Those two words pulled at the wounds inside her. Her chin went up, trying to hide the pain from her past. “What about high school?” she asked defensively.
“It wasn’t a good time for you, was it?”
She shrugged dismissively. “I was always on the honor role. It wasn’t so bad.”
He gave her The Look. “You know what I’m asking.”
“Reid, my past is gone. I love my life, but I’m not living here.”
“Why not?”
“Because this is your house, isn’t it?”
“No,” he came back with a completely straight face.
She squinted suspiciously up at him, her eyes showing her disbelief.
He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. “I live there,” he admitted, pointing to the house on the other side of the pool. “But only my annoying younger brothers use this house. Or one of them. Brant has his own place now so only Mack, my youngest brother, uses it. It was supposed to be just a pool house but the previous owners made it into a guest house so now, whenever Mack comes into town, or my baby sister, they use the house.” He shrugged. “But my sister married some guy far away and the house is too small for her, her husband and her…the others that travel with her,” he explained mysteriously. “My other two brothers,” he shrugged, “one of them stayed here until his house was built, but Brant now lives on the other side of Denver. You’ll meet him later this week. He’s the COO of the company and a financial genius. Also a pain in the ass, if you ask me,” he grumbled. “My other brother is a sheriff that lives in a tiny town in the mountains where he can do whatever strikes his fancy. But I usually have to go to him if I want to see him. He says that the city is too crowded. But if he comes to town now, he stays either in the main house with me or with my brother.” He moved closer, his strong hands holding onto her waist once again. “Which is probably a better idea. Why not…”