Camryn remained silent, a cloud of uncertainty darkening her eyes.

I pressed on. “How about this — does he hide his feelings behind a façade of arrogance and cleverness, so you never really know what he’s thinking? Does he enjoy the sex, but always keep a barrier between you? I’m talking emotional, not prophylactic,” I clarified, although Camryn was, I gathered, a smart enough cookie to figure it out.

The slight pallor of her complexion let me know I’d hit a nerve. This should’ve made me feel guilty. But, guess what? It didn’t.

“You seem like a very intelligent person,” I told her with measured condescension, “but even clever girls make mistakes in judgment sometimes. No one would blame you if you got taken in by him. Temporarily. Although, knowing the truth, one has to wonder why you’d put up with it for — ”

“What the hell is this?” a furious male voice demanded.

Sam.

Camryn and I swiveled toward him. “Back so soon?” I said.

Sam’s eyes sparked with blue fire. Guess he’d overheard some of our conversation. Oops.

He speared me with a glare, then turned to his girlfriend. “Seems Ellie has become a bitter, spiteful person who never forgets the stupid things that happened in the past, and she can’t see beyond her own issues and biases. Oh, and — ” he said and glowered at me again, “she has a history of lusting after loser guys like Jason Bertignoli, for God’s sake, so her judgment is questionable.”

Every syllable leaving his mouth jabbed me like a stiletto to the heart. He thought our night together was a “stupid thing.” God damn him. But, yeah, he was right about my judgment being bad. After all, I’d practically fallen in love with him.

He returned his gaze to Camryn. “So, regardless of what she’s told you, just because she and I had no way of working things out four fucking years ago — ” He paused to frown at me. “It doesn’t mean it’ll be the same with us.” He reached for Camryn’s arm.