Page 96 of He Loves Me Knot

Callum raked his fingers through his hair. “Look, I have never pretended to be some sort of fucking prince like Quinn. Even my ex says I’m incapable of love. And yes, I have slept withplentyof women that I have no intention of ever seeing again. But I’ve never once been dishonest about it. Not once. And I sure as hell have never had to throw myself at someone like Miranda Kaster just to get a snog and then laugh at her for being gullible. That’s not how things work for me.”

She swallowed hard. His words fell like stones into the pit of her stomach. She’d known, of course—that first day she’d met him he’d mentioned several women—but it hadn’t affected her before. His sex life was his business.

I don’t want to know about it.

But now, it was eating her alive.

“Yeah, you’re a real saint,” she muttered, digging her nails into her palms.

Callum held her gaze. “I never said I was.”

“Then why . . .” She took a few deep breaths, trying to gather her thoughts.Why are you so upset, Liddy?“Why did you pretend you gave a shit about me? Why kiss me and then tell me it meant nothing? It was a good kiss, Callum. I was there.”

“I do give a shit about you.” Callum stepped back. “And itwasa good kiss. But did it ever occur to you that the whole reason I’ve made my intentions clear is that I don’t want you to get hurt? I know we have to pretend for the sake of this dating ruse, but I shouldn’t have kissed you at the hot springs. It blurred the lines of reality.”

“Right. Because you like definite boundaries.” Liddy hugged her arms to her chest. “Except when it comes to me. And Miranda. And?—”

“And no one else,” Callum growled, his irritation palpable. “Miranda was a mistake. A stupid, drunken slip that shouldn’t have happenedafter she came onto meand you?—”

“Another stupid mistake that shouldn’t have happened, right?” She leveled her gaze at him.

“It’s not the same thing,” he said coolly.

“How is it not?” She hadn’t noticed before how hot and humid the air was, but now with her increasing anger, she was finding it hard to breathe. A beautiful rain forest like this wasn’t the right place for this sort of argument. She was supposed to be having fun with her family. Not squabbling over whether Callum was as much of a schmuck as he appeared.

“It’s. Just. Not.” Callum pulled the helmet back on his head.

“That’s not good enough.”

“It’s going to have to be. You getting back on or should I send someone to come pick you up?”

She set her hands on her hips. “There are only two options, Callum. Either you are exactly what Miranda suggested and you don’t care about anything or anyone but yourself?—”

“Or?”

She glared at him. “Or you’re telling the truth. And if that’s the case, then you’re just pushing me away because that kiss made you feel something you didn’t want to feel. And then the second Sergio came around and threatened your fragile ego, rather than man up and admit that you might actuallywantto cross the line with me—smash all your stupid boundaries—you just tucked tail and ran.”

Callum’s lips pursed, then he settled back onto the ATV. “Think whatever you want, Liddy. It makes no difference to me.”

She balled her hands into fists.

She wanted to punch him.

But then, as she tried to calm her racing heart, she considered his words.His version...of sorts.

“I do give a shit about you. And it was a good kiss. But did it ever occur to you that the whole reason I’ve made my intentions clear is that I don’t want you to get hurt? I know we have to pretend for the sake of this dating ruse, but I shouldn’t have kissed you at the hot springs. It blurred the lines of reality.”

At least he wasn’t claiming he’d faked his attraction to her. She’dfeltit.

But he was still quick to walk away.

So he didn’t hurt her.

Or so he thought. She was having a hard time wrestling through her anger, hurt, and now indecision.

Had Miranda just spun her a tale to encourage Liddy’s hatred of Callum? Because if Liddy was completely honest with herself, she did find it easier to believe Callum’s version of the story than Miranda’s.

But why? Miranda’s my flatmate. We’ve become good friends over the last two years.