Page 93 of The Love Shack

“Of course we do. I’ve missed you.”

Of all the... Beside her, Lawson narrowed his eyes on the phone. Tension and obvious anger tightened his shoulders.

Now it was her squeezing his hand. His gaze shot to her face, and his expression eased.

Giving her attention back to the phone, she said, “Lose my number, Chad.”

Sliding right past that, he suggested, “Let’s have lunch. Talking in person will be better.”

“Absolutely not.” She went for total honesty. “I have no interest in seeing you, not now, not ever.”

Three seconds of shocked silence preceded his crooning tone. “You don’t mean that. I’ve just surprised you.”

“Oh, I mean it.” Though her hands were shaking, she picked up steam. “Don’t ever contact me again.”

“You sound hurt, Berkley, and defensive.”

Because I am.Not that she’d ever let him know it. “Lack of interest, nothing more.”

Lawson’s approving gaze helped calm her rioting heart.

“You can’t expect me to believe that.” A nasty laugh warned of Chad’s shifting mood. “You were always so hot for it.”

An appalled breath nearly choked her. Heat scalded her cheeks.

Not wanting to, Berkley looked at Lawson. He’d gone rigid, his jaw ticking and his shoulders flexing.

Wow. Diverted from her embarrassment, she marveled at the change. No doubt if Chad was here, he’d be sorry for those asinine, deliberately insulting words.

Oddly, Lawson’s fury helped her regain her own composure. “Goodbye, Chad.”

The cajoling tone was back. “Berkley, wait—”

She disconnected, ending whatever he would have said. Heart thumping and palms damp, she stared at the phone, but he didn’t call back. “I’m a coward,” she admitted. “The second I heard him, I was so stressed I couldn’t think.”

“You should have told him to fuck off.”

Her eyes flared.

His closed, and after a breath, he said, “I’m sorry. You did everything right. Cursing him wouldn’t have helped anything.” He peeked open one eye. “I wanted to, though.”

The smile crept up on her. “I know.”

“If I could have, I’d have reached through the phone and throttled him.”

“Good thing you couldn’t, then. That might have gotten you arrested, and I’m fond of having you around.” How funny that sharing that awful moment with Lawson made it far less unbearable. “Thank you for being here with me.”

Lawson pulled her from her chair and into his lap, then wrapped his arms around her and pressed his face to her neck. “You didn’t sound stressed.” Lips skimming her throat, he said, “You sounded like you meant business. If he’s not the dumbass I’ve always assumed him to be, he’ll leave you alone.”

They both knew better. “But heisa dumbass.”

Straightening so he could look into her eyes, he said with apology, “Yeah, he is. And now I’m going to piss you off and agree with Oliver. You need a better security system out here.”

She was thinking the same thing. Berkley lifted her chin. “I will if you will.”

“What?”

“You’re alone, too.” Putting her palm to his jaw, she enjoyed the rasp of his late-day stubble. Before him, she’d never noticed all the wonderful ways men could be masculine. Teasing, she added, “And don’t cuss in front of my dog.”

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