A Tentative Step

[Elise’s POV]

Eyes widening, I realize too late what the hell is coming out of my mouth. Fuck. Why did I go and say such a thing when there were plenty of other explanations? Was I some sort of idiot?

‘Probably,’ Anna chuckles, not making matters better. ‘Or you were speaking from the heart.’

At her words, I feel my heart squeeze painfully as I look at William, who is watching me carefully. Sure, maybe that was right, but there was no fucking way we could ever be together now.

“You’re spying on me because you like me.” He says now, snapping me out of my head. “Do you really expect me to believe that?”

Shock rolls through me at his words, but in a way, I’m happy that he doesn’t actually believe what I said. However, if he wasn’t willing to believe that I liked him, then what did he suspect?

“I’ve thought this since the day that you approached my niece, but you have a secret agenda for getting close to not only her but even me, don’t you?”