So Wrong. Part 15

Patrick stared at me. A corner of his mouth moved up like he wanted to smile, but he didn’t seem particularly amused. “Nina, really? That is the moment you started loving me? That’s ... disappointing. And sad. I was being a dick.”

My numb face managed a slight smile. “Maybe. You were being less of a dick than usual, which I appreciated. It was the first time you said something halfway decent to me. And you were so angry for me. On my behalf.”

I looked down at my pruned fingers.

“You also forget I’m used to macho men who don’t really express their feelings. My dad is a good example of that.”

I looked back at him and my heart thumped heavily at the expression I saw on his face, at how he restrained himself from holding me, likely thinking I’d shatter into a million pieces if he touched me.

“Even if what you said was carefully constructed to come off as an insult, I read through it. I had no idea what you felt back then, but in that moment I remember t