With his back to me, I can see how bunched up he is, shoulders tense, rigid in his stance. Closing my eyes for a moment, I take a deep breath and hold it.

I have to fix this. I have to do something, anything to placate him. To let him know that last night was a fluke, and it meant nothing.

Even if it’s the furthest thing from the truth.

Taking a sip of my cocoa, I place the mug on the side table by the couch. “I would’ve gotten that for you…”

He doesn’t respond. I can’t see his face, but from the way he’s just standing there, warming himself in front of the fire, I can barely even tell if he heard me.

So I decide to keep going; keep trying to bring back the normal. “Dinner will be ready soon.”

“Not hungry,” he grunts, the second the last word leaves my lips.

“That makes no sense,” I argue. “You haven’t eaten all day and you were just outside working for five hours. You need to eat.”

He spins slowly, his eyes dark with a weighted glare. “Who’s the parent here? Me, or you?”

I can’t help how that question makes me fumble. “I… I don’t…”

“You don’t what?” He lifts an accusatory brow, clasping the mug between his hands.

Letting out a strong sigh, I stand up. Time to take on a different approach here.

Maybe I just need to give him some assurance that last night didn’t happen because I’m harboring misguided feelings for him, even if it is a bold-faced lie.

“Well, I’m gonna eat. And then I’m going out.” I fold my arms over my chest, ignoring how hard my heart is banging beneath them.

He looks momentarily stunned but covers it up quickly with a scowl. “Going out? Where?”

“This guy I’ve been dating invited me over his place to hang out,” I force myself to project, hopefully disguising the shake that wants to take over my voice. “That’s why I made so much dessert. I’m bringing some over for his family.”

It’s only ninety percent lie. Tanner definitely texted me earlier for a booty call, which obviously has nothing to do with his family. And I wasn’t considering it whatsoever until things became insufferable in this house.

The emotions on James’s face are locked up tight. Resentment in his eyes is swallowing up the confusion, and all I’m getting is an angry glare made up of more flames than the fire behind him.

“You haven’t mentioned any guy,” he grumbles, jaw ticking visibly through his words. “I asked you last night if you were dating anyone and you said no.”

“I didn’t say no.” I stand my ground, riding this stupid excuse straight to hell. “I said not much. We aren’t exclusive or anything… It’s just fun.”

Okay… That look is a little scary.

His eyes are black, lined with a fury that seems to be puzzling him even more than it is me, as he grips the mug in his hands so hard it looks like it could crack down the middle.