Page 33 of Cowboy Devil's Embrace

“Well, I would say I’m sorry to hear that, but actually, I’m not,” Max replied, and his gaze went right back to me.

“Why aren’t you sorry to hear that?” I asked.

Was he seriously that rude?

“A couple of reasons, Sugarplum. None of which I think you’re ready to hear. But suffice it to say if some pitiful excuse for a man was stupid enough to let you go, then he isn’t worth your time. You’re better off without him. So,no, I can’t be sorry about that,” he replied, stealing my breath away with his frank sincerity.

Well shit.

What the heck was I supposed to say to that?

CHAPTER EIGHT-PENELOPE

The atmosphere inside the bakery was so tense, I swear I could hear time crawl by. Avery was looking back and forth from Max to me, and I knew her evil little brain was spinning all sorts of ideas.

No. No. No. Do not do it, Avery,I silently pleaded.

“Ok, well, um, here you go,” I said, nodding to his boxes of cupcakes and taking an exaggerated step back.

“Thank you,” Max said, and his blue eyes seemed to bore a hole right through me.

“Um, goodnight,” I added, trying to end whatever this exchange was.

It was too much for total strangers. He struck a nerve or something, but even though I nodded at the door and crossed my arms, Max made no move to go.

He simply watched me, his head canted to the side like a curious animal.

What did I need to do to get him to leave, for fuck’s sake? Draw a map?

“Hope you like the cupcakes. Bye now,” I said pointedly.

“Are you trying to get rid of me?” Max asked, narrowing his gaze.

“No!”

But really, yeah, I was.

I wasn’t stupid.

This guy had heartbreaker written all over him and I was not in the market for that kind of thing.

If I ever decided to date again, it would be someone simple and staid.

Like a banker. Or an accountant.

Not whatever this guy was in his cowboy clothes and his spicy cologne.

“I think you should ask Penny out,” Avery interrupted, and I gasped and turned to glare at her.

Was she out of her mind?

“Avery!”

“I was just working up to that,” Max told Avery, joining my bestie in ignoring me. “What kind of date do you think Penelope would like?”

Okay, what the heck was going on? Had I stepped into theTwilight Zoneor something?

Did Avery just bully this guy into asking me out? And was she now actually giving the guy tips on dating me?

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