Page 106 of Make Me Dream of You

I bend down and kiss her on the temple. I don’t even think about it, showing her affection is as natural as breathing.

But as soon as I pull back and see her eyes are wide, I know I shouldn’t have done it. I glance over my shoulder and around. I don’t think anyone was looking or saw. Not that I would care if they had, but Livvy might. We should talk about it. Soon.

I go around the corner to my office and Taryn is blocking the door, standing with her arms crossed, a scowl, and her stare laser-focused on me. “We need to talk.”

“Okay.” I move past her and open the door, gesturing for her to go on.

She takes the same stance in front of my desk as in the hallway and as soon as I shut the door, she opens her mouth.

“Are you fucking the new girl?”

I blink in a stupor. It takes me a second to register her words. “That…is none of your business,” I say.

“So, you are.”

It’s not a question. It’s an accusation.

Livvy and I haven’t had penetrative sex yet. I could probably say no and not be lying on a technicality. But that doesn’t feel right. I can’t say yes, either. I won’t betray Livvy’s confidence or right to privacy. We haven’t talked about telling people—she hasn’t even told her sister about us yet.

We haven’t talked about what “we” are yet. I don’t even know what we would tell people. Are we just having fun and hooking up? Are we dating? We haven’t gone on any official dates. Are we in a relationship? It’s to be determined.

“Listen,” I say, in as casual a tone as I can manage, “I know you and I went out a couple times a few years ago, but we decided when you started working here that it wasn’t a good fit. I thought we were way past this.”

Taryn’s scowl deepens. “We didn’t decide anything. You decided that. And I am past it. I’m not asking because I’m jealous. I want to know because I don’t like drama. I don’t want it in my life or at my job, and if it’s true, shit’s about to get real messy in the shop.”

“Anthony.”

“Uh huh.”

Fuck.

Just the reminder, the memory of him with his hands on Livvy, his lips on her, has me clenching my jaw.

“Seriously,” Taryn says, “if this place gets uncomfortable, I’m out.”

I take a measured breath, reminding myself I have to stay in calm boss-mode, not feral boyfriend-mode.

CHAPTER 19

LIVVY

“Nothing is going to get out of hand.”

My hand is on the office door, but the tone of Noah’s voice from inside causes me to pause.

“Tell me you’re fucking her.”

Taryn?

“You don’t need to worry about me and Livvy. I’ve got it under control. I promise, it’s not that serious.”

He and Taryn are talking about me? Not that serious?

I drop my hand from the doorknob and step away.

Right. I mean, he basically said he wanted to keep things casual at the lake house. I should have known. Silly me.

“Sup, girl!”

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