Page 74 of The Fake Out

For one second, he paused. Then his eyes snapped to my outfit, and the corner of his mouth kicked up.

“I was planning to look cute when you walked in.” I sighed, shoulders slumping.

He strode over and stopped in front of me. Then he lifted his finger to trace the blue 21 on my breast. The touch sent goose bumps skittering down my arms.

“You look like everything I want and can’t call mine.” With that same hand, he gripped the back of my neck, his callused hand biting into my skin. “You look like the dream I’ll hang on to and pull out on a bad day.”

He pressed his lips lightly to mine for a heartbeat, then pulled back and rested his forehead against mine. “This is what coming home should feel like.”

Really? How could he feel that way if he’d closed himself off to anything but a casual fling?

“Feel better today?” he asked, not moving away. He tipped his head slightly and nuzzled into my hair, and when he pulled in a deep breath and held it like he was savoring it, my whole body buzzed.

He’d checked in on me more than once over the last two days. But I was fine. Jake was a jerk. He’d always be a jerk. And a new project had come in. That was keeping me busy and keeping my mind occupied. It was better than the uncertainty of no income. Plus, I was having fun with the Little Fingers logo.

“Today was good, but it’s better now that you’re here.”

“Is that so?” he asked, a smile in his voice as he kept his face pressed to mine. His hands skimmed down my body and rested on my ass, and with a jerk, he yanked me against him. Behind his zipper, he was hard and warm. As he ground his cock against my thigh, his leg vibrated. Pulling back, he dug his phone out of his pocket.

Zara. The name flashed on the screen.

“Give me one sec. This is important,” he said to me as he wandered out of the room. “Hey, bebé.”

God, I hated that term. Why was everyone and their mother his baby except me?

His voice faded as he moved farther away, and I clenched my jaw, choking back my anger and hurt. Had he really just walked away in the middle of that to talk to some other girl?

My heart raced. Who left their?—

Shit. Their what? Roommate? Fling? Possible hookup? Yeah, everyone left those kinds of people for important phone calls. Because all of those terms described someone who was expendable.

I turned and took in the skyline outside the huge windows across the open room, annoyed with myself. There I was, hair and makeup all done. Attempting perfection but just being not good enough. With the sun almost set, the windows reflected my image. Me in the stupid jersey dress. I glared at myself and shook my head. Dinner, wine, a homemade dress. I was doing it again. Going all-in for someone who wasn’t there with me.

Swallowing back the emotion pricking behind my eyes, I poured wine into one stemless glass I’d set out on the quartz countertop. Why did I ever think this was a good idea? I stormed back to my room and took off the jersey opting for shorts and crop top. Then heading back to the kitchen, I grabbed my drink and I moved to the window taking in the harbor spread out below. With a deep gulp of wine, I shut my eyes.

Emerson returned to the kitchen, fumbling around noisily as always, but I didn’t move. Not even as he padded toward me. It wasn’t until he put a hand on my hip that I opened my eyes and moved away.

Before I could even open my mouth, he spoke.

“Settle down.” He put his hand on my hip again and gave it a quick squeeze before releasing me. “You too the jersey off?”

“Dumb idea.” I snapped.

“Zara is Asher Price’s wife. She does corporate investigations and media spin.”

That statement took the wind out of my sails. The hurt was still there, but it was mixed with confusion and maybe a hint of relief.

“I asked her to look into something for me.”

I spun and frowned at him, trying to decode his words.

“Jake’s an ass.” He sighed. “I doubted you were the first person he’d treated badly at the douche firm. So I had her ask some questions.”

My stomach twisted in a knot. Why was he doing this? And would it come back to bite me once Jake caught wind that I had something to do with it?

“Turns out he’s made a few people upset over the years.”

“Wait.” I held a hand up. “You asked her to do that for me?”

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