Page 25 of The Companion Love Trap

Everly: No, can do. I leave on an important business trip tomorrow.

Everly: And I won’t have cell reception. So, I’ll see you when I see you.

Everly: Night.

Quickly I locked my phone, set it to do-not-disturb, and tossed it far away from me so I wouldn’t be tempted to pick it up and check. Shit. I had to get these feelings for Cruz under wraps before I returned. Thankfully, it seemed like Jace and my fake boyfriend would do just the trick.

After scanning the list of investors again, I filed their companies away to focus more on later and finally let myself turn the page for Jace. There wasn’t as much information on him, probably because he wasn’t the one I was dating and therefore didn’t need to know as much about. But I wanted to. Boy, did I.

He wasn’t the first guy I connected with instantly and then let them touch me. Hell, that was a regular Friday night if Cruz wasn’t available. But something about Jace pulled me in, making me want to stay instead of run. He saw the part of me I pretended didn’t exist. The secrets from my past I tried to ignore. For some reason, it felt like he understood without even saying anything. He matched me in my crazy, never backing down from our banter, and surprised me with how much he truly saw. Maybe it was his photographer’s eye, but it felt like Jace just got me.

Ugh. Flopping back against the soft pillows with a groan, I took a second to center myself. I couldn’t be crushing on three guys. I wasn’t supposed to crush on anyone. Allergic to intimacy and commitment, remember? Mom paid top dollar for that lovely endorsement.

But Cruz pulled me in with his steadiness, always there to anchor me.

Phantom awoke a passion I’d long hidden, drawing out a belief I could achieve things.

And Jace pushed my buttons, challenging me toe-to-toe so I couldn’t hide behind my defenses.

But I had my defenses for a reason, and I wouldn’t forget that. Attachments brought me nothing but pain, allowing someone else to control me and decide what was best for me. I wouldn’t go back to living in the shadows, making myself smaller so I could meet someone else’s expectations.

I would take up as much space as I needed, whether it be my personality or my ass; I wasn’t shrinking myself any longer. Everly Carlisle wouldn’t be silenced, so either get out of my way or applaud me from the sidelines because I was here to stay. I’d given up everything not to be trapped, so I wouldn’t be crawling back into one now—no matter how gilded the cage was.

Spirit strengthened; I poured myself another glass of wine and reviewed Jace’s profile while reminding myself he was temporary.

No, do not stroke the man’s picture!

Temporary. Temporary. Temporary.

Decked out in my new sundress, sandals, and big sun hat, I felt the epitome of a vacationer. I didn’t typically travel this dressed up. I was more of the yoga pants and flip-flop travel attire crowd, but I could feel the appeal. Maybe I just felt more confident after spending a day with Jace, but I breezed through the airport with my shoulders back and swayed my hips like I owned it. People greeted me and moved out of my way, allowing me to go first, and it felt oddly satisfying.

Somehow I’d managed to arrive at the airport early, one of the few times in my life I’d arrived before the rest of my party. Jace had told me to go ahead to the lounge, so I showed my ticket to the desk, and he pressed the button to open the sliding doors. They parted for me, and I stepped through as the smell of jasmine invaded my nostrils. Damn, I wished the rest of the airport smelled this nice.

Tranquil chimes played over the speakers, and the noise from the rest of the airport disappeared when the doors closed. A beverage station and food cart sat to the side, so I grabbed a few things before sitting in a vacant area. Crossing my legs, I eyed the door as I enjoyed a heavenly croissant and a delicious coffee.

I picked up my phone but didn’t spot any new messages from Jace. There were a couple from Cruz, but I hid the conversation so I wouldn’t be tempted to look at them. This break would do us both some good. I liked him far too much. He’d worn me down over the past year, stealing secrets about my past and life to the point he was now fully entrenched in my heart. And I didn’t like it one bit. Nope. Nope. I shoved a piece of the fluffy croissant in my mouth to stop myself from growling at myself.

I felt him enter the lounge before I saw him. The air shifted like it knew he was important and wanted to give him space. He was alone as he strolled forward, his blond head down as he typed something into his phone. I watched him from under the rim of my hat, giving myself a few minutes to observe him freely.

The man was tall, hovering over everyone else in this lounge. I watched his blue dress pants move with his steps, his legs appearing powerful beneath them. His shirt was a softer blue, one I imagined perfectly matched the shade of his eyes. It had been left open at the collar, the faintest hint of blond tuft poking up.

He stopped midway through the lobby, his forehead creasing as he peered at something on his phone. A leather satchel hung off his shoulder, a magazine sticking out of one end. He checked his watch, the smart design catching my eye, and I wondered if it was one of his. It looked similar to Jace’s, and I bet there was a connection there.

Kieran hadn’t spoken, but I yearned to hear his voice. There was a quiet nature about him that drew in my chaos, wanting to watch it swirl with his. His fingers tapped in a rhythm against his legs in a practiced motion. It almost resembled chords the way he placed his fingers as he moved them against his pant leg in a smooth pattern. It intrigued me, wanting to dig deeper into who Kieran was—more than I had expected.

Even from this causal view of him, something in Kieran called to me, and I didn’t know what. It went beyond attraction, and that terrified me. I’d have to keep my shields up around this guy. It would be just my luck that I fake-dated my way into a relationship, never expecting the floor to fall out from under me.

Jace’s laugh pulled both of our attention as he entered, leaving the station at the front. It didn’t surprise me that he’d made friends. Jace was just like that. He oozed personality, but I spotted the performance hidden beneath the carefully crafted persona. Jace knew his role and played it well, but there was a hidden layer under the fun-loving guy everyone saw. I just knew it.

He was dressed more casually than Kieran in tan skinny jeans and a black t-shirt with a short-sleeved button-down. His usual necklaces and rings adorned him; his smartwatch on his wrist. His hair had been gelled back, keeping the long pieces in the front from falling into his eyes. His hazel eyes sparkled as he neared, a noticeable pep in his step as he sauntered closer to the middle where Kieran had stopped.

Kieran’s shoulders relaxed as Jace neared, a smile almost forming on his lips. Jace was several inches shorter than Kieran, his auburn locks meeting his shoulder. But from how they interacted, it seemed Jace was the more confident of the two, with Kieran almost deferring to him for control. Jace touched Kieran’s arm, and he melted more, the taller man relaxing and softening each second he was near his friend. Interesting.

I’d gotten so caught up in watching their dynamics I hadn’t noticed Jace looking for me. When his eyes met mine, he smiled, and my stomach flipped.

“Firecracker, you look gorgeous.”

He pulled Kieran over to where I sat, a massive smile on his face. I stood, but even in the sandals, I was nowhere near Kieran’s height. I could only see his torso as he neared, the swish of his blue pants capturing my attention. When they stepped closer, I glanced up and caught those pale blue eyes. They widened for a split second, and his cheeks pinked before he turned his head to Jace, his expression shutting down as he glared at his friend.

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