Page 34 of When the Fake Snow Falls

“Convincing?”

“Convincing,” he says with a nod, his voice rough.

“Makes sense.” He can call it practice, but I’ll call it desensitizing. This will be good. This will help me get over this stupid infatuation I have.

God, I hope he’s a terrible kisser.

Chase doesn’t have a view of the counter, but I do. The blonde barista can’t take her eyes off him. She even mutters something to her coworker while her eyes stay locked on Chase. “Don’t look, but I’m pretty sure they’re talking about you.”

He freezes mid-sip. “And what makes you think that?”

Raising my eyebrows, I take a deep breath. “Well, she keeps looking at you.”

Slowly setting down his cup, he says, “Uh-huh.”

“And talking to her coworker.”

“Okay.”

“And talking to her coworker while she’s looking at you.”

His lips press into a thin line, but it only lasts a moment before he shrugs it off. “Well, she’s the one with the boyfriend. Not my problem.” He smirks. “She’s probably just surprised to see I’ve moved on so quickly.”

I scoff. “Right.”

He considers me before leaning forward and taking my hand in his. His thumb traces the backs of my knuckles, and the contact sends a rush through me. His touch is slow and gentle, but deliberate. Every graze of his fingertips against my skin feels like a strategic move in whatever game of chess he’splaying. My entire body freezes at his touch, but I’m the opposite of cold. Liquid heat warms my core, and I desperately try to slow my shallow breaths as I hold his gaze.

“I have moved on. You’re incredible, you know that?” He turns my hand over and traces one of the lines of my palm. Keeping his eyes trained on our hands, his fingers trace up my forearm and my entire body tingles. “Beautiful.” His eyes flick up to meet mine with a devilish glint. “How’s that for practice?”

The air finally leaves my lungs in a sudden rush.

Right. Practice.

I’m pretty sure my neck has turned a deep shade of pink, so I rest my chin in my free hand with my elbow propped on the table to hide it. “Is that how you talk to all your girlfriends?”

His lips twitch, and he looks down, his hand still tracing the exposed skin at my wrist. “No.”

I might not have as much experience as Miles thinks I should when it comes to men, but it’s not like a man has never touched me. Even so, of all the men who have ever run their fingers along my skin, none have cast a spell as strong as Chase.

“No?” I manage to get out.

He sits up straight, releasing me from his grasp. Even after I pull my hand back, my skin still tingles at the memory of his touch.

“That’s the filtered version. If you and I were really together, there’d be no holding back.”

Heart pounding, I tilt my head. “Try me.”

“No,” he says with a shake of his head and a breath of laughter.

I can’t believe he doesn’t think I can handle it. “Chase.” His name is sharp on my tongue, and the way he snaps to attention, his lips parted, is enough to knock the air from my lungs. I’ve never said his name before, and by the way he’slooking at me, I think he’s having the same realization. The air in the room is charged, so I try my best to soften it by saying, “You’re being dumb.”

A slow smile tugs at his lips. “No, Candace.” He says my name pointedly, a spark of mischief behind his eyes. “There are only two words I hope to never hear from you.” He holds a finger for each. “Jack and Frost. And if I start saying filthy shit, you’ll say both.”

I roll my eyes.

“You and I are friends. You deserve respect.”

I have never wanted to be disrespected more in my life.

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