Page 170 of Thorns of Malice

Lilly jumps up from her table, singing, "Hey!" She beams at me.

"Hi!" I chirp back.

We hug each other and sit down. I cautiously ask, "Where's Jaxon?"

Her lips twitch. She reveals, "He had some video meetings he needed to take."

I wiggle my eyebrows. "And you're returning to his room after our lunch?"

She purses her lips, staring at me.

I laugh. "Of course you're going back."

Her eyes light up. She leans forward. "He's amazing, Ivy."

"Yes, Jaxon is a great person."

Lilly firmly states, "No. I mean he's an amazing man. For real."

"Aww. I thought you two would get along," I state.

She nervously stares at me and then licks her lips.

"What aren't you telling me?"

She swallows hard, opens her mouth, and shuts it.

I lower my voice, fretting, "What is it?"

She glances around again, but there's no one near us who I recognize. Lilly admits, "I think I like him."

I smile. "Well, that's good, right?"

"I meanreallylike him."

"And that isn't a good thing?"

She cringes and shrugs, confessing, "I don't know. What if I like him but he doesn't like me for anything more than a fuck buddy?"

"Did you ask him?" I question.

"No." She looks away.

"Well, why not? Just ask him. Tell him how you feel," I urge.

She furrows her eyebrows. "What if he doesn't feel that way?"

"You won't know if you don't ask him," I point out.

She sighs and looks out the window, twirling a lock of hair around her finger.

I reach over and grab her hand. "Lilly."

She turns back toward me, declaring, "I really like him, Ivy. Like, really, really, really! It's more than the hot sex. And it is hot sex! Oh my God, is it hot sex!" Her eyes widen.

I try to stifle my laugh, but I can't.

She lowers her voice again. "You know what I'm talking about, Ivy. I'm not sure how you can give him up."

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