Runaway Groom (I Do, I Don't 2)

I give his knee a friendly pat and stand. “You’re surviving just fine.”

He drops his hands. “Where are you going?”

“Back to my room. I did my girl spy part.”

Gage reaches out and grabs my hand, pulling me back down to the love seat.

I resist the pull, I really do, but it’s no contest. I collapse with a quiet “oof,” my chin awkwardly knocking his shoulder. Irritated, I punch the same shoulder. “Damn it, Gage. Let me go.”

He’s still holding my hand, his face just a few inches from mine. “What was the deal with you today?”

“What do you mean?” I avoid his eyes.

“You were acting weird. You ignored my texts. You wouldn’t even look at me on the boat. Or at dinner.”

“I never look at you. Your ego shines so brightly, it hurts my eyes.”

Instead of letting me escape with the joke, Gage snags my chin between his thumb and forefinger, lifting my face to his as he searches my expression. “Talk to me.”

He’s so close. My eyes drop to his mouth for a split second, and I have the insane urge to press my lips to his.

But then I remember that’d make me the fourth woman he’s kissed today, and I pull back.

“I need to get to bed. You should too. We both have another stressful day in paradise tomorrow looking at waterfalls on the road to Hana.”

Gage groans, and I smile a little as I climb to my feet once again. “You don’t like waterfalls?”

“I like looking at waterfalls just fine.” He rests his head against the back of the love seat, closing his eyes, and looking so exhausted and miserable that my heart lurches. “I just don’t love the fact that I’ve got to entertain thirteen women at the same time.”

“Twelve women,” I correct, stepping backward toward the door. “You won’t have to entertain me.”

His eyes open, and he pins me with a green stare. “Of course not. Ellie Wright’s too good for the rest of us.”

I pause, a little stung by the sharpness of his tone. “I don’t think that.”

“No?” he asks, climbing to his feet.

“You’re the one who asked me to be your eyes and ears with the other women,” I remind him, punching a finger into his chest. “You’re the one who bugged me to come here tonight.”

“And yet you agreed to my terms, and you came tonight,” Gage retorts. “Your choice, Ellie. So you don’t get to be pissy.”

“I’m not!” My finger pushes his chest again.

“You are.” His hand lifts, wraps around my hand, crushing my fingers lightly. “You’re mad at me, and you won’t tell me why. I’m not even sure you’ll tell yourself why.”

I keep my eyes locked on his Adam’s apple. “I’m not mad. I just want to go home.”

“Two nights ago, you were fine staying. You were good with it. Something changed.”

“Nothing changed.”

“Yeah? Look me in the eyes and say it.”

“You’re just hoping I’ll compare your eyes to guacamole again.”

He laughs, causing his chest to lift and fall beneath my hand. I try to tug it free, but he holds me still.

“Ellie.”