Chapter 49

Once the glazed ribs were done, Alexia whipped up a pot of porridge to round out the meal.

Hunger seemed to wake something in Waylon. Even at the table, the habits drilled into him since childhood surfaced-his every bite neat, every gesture graceful.

Resting her chin on her palm, Alexia took a quiet moment to simply observe him.

Some people really did get all the perks. Even watching him eat was strangely captivating.

Waylon didn't miss her gaze. He took his time with the next bite, letting a smile play at his lips. "You keep looking over here."

Quickly, Alexia looked away, her tone as breezy as she could manage. "What's wrong with appreciating a nice view? You're easy on the eyes-it's just normal for anyone to stare. I doubt you'll be scarred for life by a little extra attention."

A glimmer of amusement sparked in Waylon's eyes "Is that so? Does everyone with a pretty face get this much of your focus?"

Alexia's posture stiffened as she answered, "It's just how people are wired. Who doesn't appreciate something-or someone-good-looking?"

Waylon's mouth quirked in a smile she couldn't quite read. "Interesting. So, say, Andre-would you say he's good-looking too?"

That caught Alexia off guard, but she took the question seriously and gave an honest nod. "Sure.He's basically a ceebrity in the racing world."

Waylon's tone stayed smooth, but a subtle tension crept in. "So is that how you two hit it off?"

Alexia shrugged, honest again. "Not the only reason,but it probably didn't hurt."

A spoonful of porridge later, Waylon spoke in an offhand way, though something else lingered in his words. "Guys like Andre have it made. They flash a smile and everyone melts, doors just open up. Me,though? Guess I don't have that kind of luck."

For a second, Alexia froze, caught off guard by his words.Something about his tone unsettled her, setting her pulse racing. Her response came quickly, almost on instinct. "It's not really like that. Andre and I just crossed paths and wound up helping each other out.Things unfolded on their own. Besides, we're friends now,aren't we?"

A faint, skeptical arch of Waylon's brow followed as he regarded her."Is that right? Weren't you the one who declared, 'Out of everyone in this world, there's no one I despise more than Waylon Mason'? Is that how you still feel?"

Heat crept up Alexia's neck, embarrassment rising "Seriously, bringing up old arguments just ruins the mood. I only said those things because I was angry back then. Let it go, will you?"

A soft laugh escaped Waylon as he met her eyes, the look in his gaze dark and impossible to read-like midnight with secrets swirling beneath. "Unfortunately for me, that's not something I can let go. And I don't want to be your friend."

That admission made her heart stumble again. "What's stopping you?"

Waylon finished his meal, set the spoon down with quiet finality, and got to his feet. His face gave nothing away. "No special reason. Thanks for dinner.You should head home."

She sat watching as he walked away, a knot of frustration twisting in her chest.

Truthfully, Waylon's reluctance to play at friendship shouldn't have come as a shock.

Too much history lingered between them-arguments,missteps, wounds that still ached. Seven years had done nothing to erase any of it, despite all the efforts to pretend otherwise. Starting over, as if none of it had ever happened, was only a comforting lie.

No matter how hard Alexia tried to reach him, Waylon always slipped just out of reach. He never let her get too close-one moment radiating warmth, the next retreating behind cool indifference.

Back in his teenage days, Waylon was impossible to miss. Arrogant, sharp with words, always at the center of attention. But at least he owned his flaws and brilliance alike-he never pretended to be someone else, even if it stirred jealousy.

These days, he hid his sharper edges beneath a veneer of smooth confidence. To the world, he was the picture of poise, a charmer who made everything seem effortless. Underneath, though, she sensed the threat that still lingered-like velvet hiding a blade.

She didn't like this version of him.

Time slipped by as Alexia lingered in the living room Just as she decided it was time to go,her gaze fell on the unused cooling patch tucked away in her bag.

Impulse took over. She snatched it up and headed upstairs.

A push on the bedroom door revealed Waylon on the balcony, standing in the wind, face turned into the icy night.

Alexia set the patch down and marched toward him."You know it's freezing, right? Stand out here any longer, and you'll be even sicker than you already are."

Waylon didn't move, voice steady, a stubborn note threading through it. "Just a minute. The cold's good for clearing my head."

"You're burning with fever-of course you're spouting nonsense. The more you freeze out here, the worse you'll get."

Alexia moved to tug him back inside, but Waylon's hand shot out, catching her wrist. She glanced up,finding a hint of mischief flickering at the edges of his mouth.

Waylon looked downright pleased by her annoyance."You don't hold back, do you?"

Annoyance twitched in her jaw. She twisted his wrist with practiced ease and yanked him toward the bedroom. "Inside. Now."

He offered no resistance, allowing himself to be hauled back in, and she tossed him onto the bed.

Without a pause, Alexia ripped open the cooling patch,pressed it onto his forehead with a sharp smack, and stepped back with satisfaction. "There. Maybe now you'll think straight."

Waylon lay stunned, the chill spreading across his skin as he stared at her, momentarily robbed of words.