Page 110 of Deceit

I envy how he’s so open and honest.

How, no matter the answer, he’ll still ask questions and obtain what he wants and needs even if it doesn’t work in his favor.

“You’ll be busy.” It’s the only excuse I have. “And besides, I have a lot of things to do here.”

I don’t have shit to do around here.

“Alright…but if you change your mind, my offer is still open. Now eat your meal, Emmy, I’m sure you haven’t eaten all day.”

My appreciative smile is genuine this time because he notices small details like that. He gives a crap about food consumption and how many hours I’ve slept. If I drove with my seatbelt on after he’s heard the annoying beeping of my Jeep that rats me out when I don’t.

He checks up on me and I’ve never had that before.

Cutting into my steak, Alexander goes back to eating, watching me from the corner of his eye once in a while as he does and we sit in comfortable silence.

I don’t know anyone besides the boys that I can do this with. Wade and I would watch TV that would fill in said silence, but with Alexander, it’s just a realm of calm.

“Actually, Emmy,” he suddenly chimes in a few minutes later. “I lied.”

“Lied?”

“I need to attend my sister’s wedding and I wanted you to come with me.” My body stills, fork in mid-air as he drops the meeting-his-family bomb on me. “And, if you don’t want to, I won’t mention that we’re dating or anything. I’ll explain that you’re slow with making decisions and—“

“I’mmarried,” I retort sourly, disgusted not at his suggestion to take me but at myself. His tone wasn’t malice but kind and teasing. However, I can’t accept it because I don’t deserve it.

“Separated,” he counters back gently. “Unless you need to break something to me.”

I shake my head. “No, it’s just…I don’t want you to have to lie for me.”

“Emmy, I won’t be giving out your life story or your dating history. You don’t have to go, but—” He shrugs and pops a piece of steak in his mouth. “—I’ll just go stag.”

“Stag?” My face twists at the thought of him just going alone. “Why would you do that?”

“Why wouldn’t I?” His tone and face remain placid and normal, as though this conversation isn’t ridiculous.

“Because you’re a handsome man that shouldn’t be going alone.”

His lips quirk. “Finally, you admit it.”

“Don’t you have a secretary that you could go with?” Alexander almost chokes on a laugh and takes another sip of wine to get his food down.

“You’re joking, right?”

“I mean…”

“I’m not one for flaunting females that don’t mean anything to me around my immediate family.” He places his elbows on the table and grounds me with a stern look. “And whether it takes five years for you to finally call me your boyfriend, I’ll wait.”

“Mhm. You don’t want to do that, trust me.”

“Emmy Lou, you are the most attractive and secretive woman I know, and I’m beyond fascinated by you.” His eyes sparkle with mirthfulness, and I can’t believe this man—thisreallyhot man—wants to waste his time with me.

“You need more excitement in your life then.” I pick at my food, making a mess out of it to match my muddled head.

But I mean it, Alexander needs to get it together as much as I do.

“I have all I need. Trying to figure you out is exciting enough. I told you I was never normal.”

“But you never saidhow. Do you round up toenail clippings, Pokemon cards?” I lift a brow. “You collect troll dolls, don’t you?”

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