Page 161 of Claimed At First Sight

I don’t interrupt.

“And do you know when?”

She lets the question hang long enough that I know whatever comes next is meant to wound.

“The very next day.”

The image forms before I can suppress it. Mia with another man less than twenty-four hours after I’d kissed her.

The muscles in my jaw tighten before I make a conscious effort to relax them. She catches it, a small smile playing at the corners of her mouth.

“That’s right,” she says, pleased she’s managed to get a reaction from me. “And do you know why?”

I don’t answer.

“Because that kiss should never have happened,” she says, holding my gaze with remarkable determination. “It was a mistake.”

My thumb digs into her waist. She flinches, and I immediately loosen my grip.

“I never should’ve let you kiss me. So to erase your lips from my mind, I marched myself down to the beach, found the cutest guy I could, and kissed him.”

Silence settles between us.

The Ferris wheel continues its slow ascent, carrying us higher above the city while snow drifts past the glass. Mia doesn’t look away, convinced she’s landed the decisive blow.

“Did it work?” I ask.

The confidence in her expression falters for a second before she recovers.

“Yes, of course.”

I just watch her. She refuses to look away, almost as though she’s daring me to challenge her.

She lifts her chin another fraction, but the fingers clutching her scarf tighten, bunching the wool beneath them.

“Liar,” I say quietly.

Her eyes widen.

“I beg your pardon. I’m not lying.” Her outrage isn’t convincing.

I shake my head. “People think lies begin the moment they’re spoken. They don’t. They begin the instant someone decides what they want another person to believe.”

She opens her mouth, but I don’t give her the opportunity to interrupt.

“You did exactly that.”

She folds her arms, the movement defensive despite the fire in her eyes.

“I did no such thing.”

I almost smile.

“You’ve spent the last few minutes trying to convince me another man’s kiss erased mine.” I let my gaze linger on her face. “Your left eye twitched before you answered.”

Her hand flies toward her face before she can stop herself.

I smirk.