Her defenses exploded around her in angry colors of red and orange. “Have you considered that maybe I don’t agree with the rules my father placed? Maybe you could accept the fact that I’m a mature woman who should be able to make her own choices.”
James snorted. “If that were true, why hide the date?”
“What are you talking about?”
He shot her a dark look. “You don’t want him to pick you up. You’re hiding this date from your father and the rest of your family. Sure doesn’t sound like you’re trying to take charge of your life. Seems to me that you’re sitting on a fence where you don’t have to make a decision one way or another.”
She huffed, throwing her hands down at her sides and curling them into fists. “You ought to know better than anyone.”
He stiffened. No, she’d imagined it. There was no reason for him to be uncomfortable beyond the fact that he’d started this argument in the first place.
“I told you that I was interested in this job—this career, so maybe one day I could leave the ranch and head out on my own. I’m essentially a middle child and yes, my father has that stupid rule that he’s holding over my head. But I’m not there yet, so I’m doing what I can to keep the peace.” Her chest started to hurt, then she realized she wasn’t taking deep enough breaths. “I’m going to live my life the way I want to, and you don’t have any say in the matter.”
“I never said I did,” he muttered.
“Then why are you lecturing me on how I spend it? If I want to go out on a date with Shane, then I’m going to do it.”
He whirled around to face her. “Have you even considered that maybe I’m having this argument with you because I wanted it to be me?”
Frozen. Stuck in the mud with nowhere to go. That’s how it felt at that moment. Her little voice had been right. James was indeed interested in her. He just hadn’t acted on it.
James moved toward her, the three inches in height he had on her making him appear even taller in this moment where she was frozen in time.
She swallowed thickly. Her tongue felt swollen, unwilling to move or do much of anything as James stared down at her with an expression that appeared to be a mix of disappointment and longing. His slender fingers tucked her wayward strands of hair behind her ear and she shivered. She expected him to say something—anything to break this tension that was thicker than the ice on a pond in the wintertime.
Instead, he let out a sigh and stepped backward. “Just forget I said anything, will you?”
She blinked three times, then shook her head and closed the distance between them. “Why?” she demanded.
“Why what?” There was a sadness in his voice now. He had resigned himself to whatever decision he’d kept from her. The thrill, excitement, and longing she harbored was quickly being overthrown by desperation and anxiety in a battle of wills. If she had told Shane no, would that have given James the opportunity to speak up?
She gave his arm a little shove, but he didn’t move. “You can’t just say something like that and tell me to forget you said it.”
“That doesn’t answer my question.”
She shook her head. “Seriously? What do you think? If you wanted to be that guy so bad, why didn’t you just ask me out?”
“Didn’t you hear a single word I said? Your father—”
“Is not responsible for my happiness as much as he believes he is. He can’t decide my fate any more than you or anyone else could.”
James’s scowl deepened. “I’m not the kind of guy who’s willing to sneak around. I deserve more respect than that. So do youandyour father.”
Once again, he’d managed to make her feel small. Although hiding this sort of thing was what each of them did at one point or another, Brielle was the only one who consistently partook in that kind of game. Why couldn’t Constance have a little fun once in a while? Why couldn’t she enjoy the company of a man who was interested in her? She clenched her teeth and her fingernails dug into her palms. “Once again, you find yourself telling me how I should lead my life. The fact that some random guy asked me out isn’t going to hurt my dad.”
James wasn’t looking at her anymore. It was almost as if he couldn’t stand to. “I’d hardly say Shane is some random guy. He’s the most eligible bachelor in the area. If you married him, you’d be set for life.”
“What?” She practically screeched the question. “Who said anything aboutmarriage? You realize that this is the twenty-first century, right? Just because a woman goes on a date with a guy doesn’t mean she’s looking to make it official. He asked. I said yes. That’s all there is to it. And honestly, I had been hoping thatyouwould be the one to ask me out. But I guess we can’t all get what we want in this life, can we?”
Constance spun on her heel, prepared to go storming off toward his car when his hand shot out and his fingers wrapped around her wrist to prevent her from moving even a foot away from him. His intense, dark eyes studied hers, shifting his focus on her face back and forth.
She looked down at where he held her wrist, then returned her gaze to meet his. “You can let go now.”
He shook his head. “Do you mean that?”
“Do I meanwhat?” Her brain was all muddled, making it hard to piece together their conversation.
“Did you—do you—would you like to go on a date with me?”