Page 130 of Holiday Hire

She scoffs. "You might as well have." She pushes off me and goes to the window. She crosses her arms. Her voice shakes when she says, "Why are you even talking about this? I thought we learned our lesson. Everything has been back to normal between us."

I rise off the couch. "It wasn't last night."

She spins, scrunching her face in horror and confusion. "Last night?"

I close the distance between us. "You wanted to stay with me all night."

She gapes, the bright-red flush dancing once again on her cheeks.

I put my hand on her cheek and push her against the wall. I lean in an inch from her lips, searching her expression, wanting her to remember everything she admitted to me.

She takes a shaky breath. "What are you talking about?"

I glance at her lips, revealing, "We both agreed this was hard, and we shouldn't fight it anymore."

She freezes, holding her breath.

I graze my thumb over her mouth. "It's true. We're both miserable. Let's admit it."

She stays quiet, her lips quivering under my touch.

"I'm sorry I made you feel bad. I never meant to. And I thought we had gotten past that when we agreed to be friends."

"We did. But now…"

"I'm telling you that you mean more to me than a friend. And I know you still have feelings for me too. So let's stop fighting it," I state, locking my gaze on hers.

She narrows her eyes. "What about Cheyenne?"

"What about her?"

Anger fills Phoebe's expression. "I'm not going to be one of your girls, Alexander."

I scoff. "I don't have a bunch of girls. And I meant, what about her? I've not seen or thought about her since before you stepped foot on the ranch. And I'll add that I have no desire to either."

She stares at me.

I question, "You don't believe me?"

"Should I?"

"Have I ever lied to you?" I ask, feeling offended she thinks I would lie about such a thing. I'm not one of those guys who sleep with multiple women at a time and then lies about it.

She admits, "No, you haven't."

Hope fills me again. "Then I think you should give me the benefit of the doubt."

She sighs. "Okay. You're right."

I press closer. "If Cheyenne isn't an issue, what other objections do you have?"

She closes her eyes, breathing slowly.

I kiss her lightly, murmuring, "I've missed you. Now, be a good baby girl, and tell me how much you've missed me and my stallion."

She bursts out laughing.

"That's more like it. I hate seeing you upset," I admit.

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