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Angela had not let go of his hand. She wasn't sure why. They weren't friends and they only ever managed to see each other because they had mutual friends. It wasn't a secret that they didn't like each other and yet, the way that she was holding onto him as he was a lifeline, one would never know. But the warmth of his skin against hers and his fingers wrapped around her single finger as she wove through the crowds of people was difficult to ignore.
She had not given him a chance to speak to Oscar or to her, for that matter. She had simply grabbed his hand and led him through the crowd of people ducking past intense conversations and couples tangled up in each other, heading for the door. Angela had continued to lead him out not once sparing a glance back to him; she was sure that if she did she would find herself staring at a concerned expression or one of anger. She wasn't sure which was worse. To his credit, Shawn didn't say much which was no small feat for him. He was silent up until they finally stopped moving at the café.
Still, she didn't let go of his hand.
Angela finally turned around; her eyes trained on him. She couldn't quite make out his expression or what it was that he was feeling. She was suddenly more aware of how close they stood. The last time they'd been this close, the circumstances had been entirely different, in what now felt like worlds away.
The expression on her face must have been concerning. "Are you okay?" Shawn asked, his brows furrowed.
Angela felt exposed. "I'm fine," she bit back. Because she was. She didn't need his sympathy or his false idea of friendship. Things had not been that way between the two of them since they had slept in the same bed, his chest pressed against her back and the heat of his breath at her neck. They would not go back to being that way between them and she didn't need them to.
She released his hand as if the heat of his skin burned her.
Shawn's mask of concern fell quickly, giving way to a smirk and a sarcastic glint in his eyes. She was more reassured by this. This was the Shawn that she was familiar with. "So how long have you been fighting your urge to kiss me? I mean, it can't have been easy for you."
Angela rolled her eyes at him. "As if. You're a bad kisser, either way."
Shawn took a sharp intake of breath, stumbling back as if her words physically hurt him. "How ... dare you?"
Angela rolled her eyes at him, turning on her heels as she headed for the display of snacks ahead of her. Shawn was hot on her heels, speaking the entire time. "I have been kissing since before an age that was socially acceptable and I'll have you know that in all my years of work, I have never had a single complaint. I am an objectively good kisser."
