บท 171: The Toll of Timing    

[EVE]

I turned away, fixing my eyes firmly on the window. "You're infuriating," I muttered, instead, my voice shaky despite my best efforts. My heartbeat was deafening.

"And you like this part of me," he said, his confidence almost unbearable.

"Who said that?" I scoffed, though my voice lacked bite.

"The kiss certainly said a lot," he countered smoothly.

"Just shut up and drive," I snapped, though I knew I was losing this argument—and the worst part? He knew it too.

For a while, the car was silent again. I thought maybe he'd let the topic drop, but of course, Cole wasn't the type to leave anything unfinished.

"You don't need to go to blind dates or mixers anymore," he said suddenly, breaking the quiet.

I whipped my head around to glare at him. "And who are you to tell me what I do or don't need to do?"