Page 59 of My Irresistible Enemy

“I really ought to—”

“Nolan can wait,” Tanner said, still smiling. “He’s had you all night, he can go a few minutes without you, can’t he?”

I frowned. If Tanner knew I’d been talking to Nolan all night, he couldn’t have needed to talk to me that badly, or he’d have found me earlier. But when I looked back up into Tanner’s eyes, the words faded on my tongue.

“You look gorgeous tonight.” He brought a hand to my shoulder.

I resisted the urge to shrink back, but I thought I might be starting to understand Nolan’s touch aversion. For some people, anyway.

“Um. Thanks?”

“What, not used to getting compliments?” Tanner said. “I find that hard to believe.”

“No, it’s just—” I scanned the crowd, confused. “There are a lot of cameras around. I didn’t think you’d want them to see—”

“See me talking to one of my favorite contestants?” His hand stroked down my arm. “I control what gets edited in and out, remember?” His fingers caressed my wrist. “Perhaps you’re right, though. There’s a lot more I’d like to do to you, away from the cameras.”

I laughed nervously, and it wasn’t an affectation. I didn’t want to offend Tanner, but I didn’t want to encourage him either.

“Like teach me how to follow a proper recipe?” I said. “Or lecture me about taking things more seriously?”

“Aiden, don’t play dumb.” Tanner’s smile was smaller now, more intimate. I wasn’t sure I liked it. “You know I’m interested in you. Are you really telling me this doesn’t go both ways?”

The thing was, Tanner normallywouldbe the kind of guy I would go for. Older, wealthier—the kind of man who wanted a cute guy on his arm, and who wouldn’t care that I worked at a coffee shop and could never pay for our dates. But something about him set my teeth on edge.

“I—I’m not—” I swallowed. “Tanner, I’m flattered. Really. But right now, I’m kind of—”

“Don’t tell me you’re saying no because of Nolan,” he interrupted. “Because you don’t owe that guy anything. I don’t know if you seduced him, or if he made the first move, but credit where credit’s due, you created a hell of a narrative for the show.” His fingers slid back up my arm. “But that’s all it is, Aiden. A story. And I can promise you, no matter how thoroughly you’re getting dicked down by him, I can do better.”

I caught sight of Nolan through a break in the crowd. He was still sitting alone on that bench, looking down at his phone pensively, but at that moment, he could have been berating me six ways from Sunday and telling me just how pathetic he found me, and it still would have been preferable to this conversation.

“I—I have to go.”

I pushed away from the table, but only made it five steps before Tanner called my name.

“Aiden, wait.”

I turned, already hating myself for listening to him, but all he did was point to the glasses I’d left on the table.

“Don’t forget these,” he said. I flushed and moved back to grab them. “And don’t forget what I said, either.”

With a final squeeze of my shoulder, he slipped away into the crowd.

10

Nolan

MOM: Please don’t stress out about this honey, but can you call me tomorrow when you get a chance? I got a weird bill from Dr. Morgan’s office today

MOM: It’s probably nothing so PLEASE don’t call tonight, ok? I know you’re out at that party thing, and I don’t want to see you on TV looking sad

“Hey, I got more of your favorite, absolutely delicious punch that you love so much.”

Aiden’s voice took me by surprise, and I looked up to see him standing in front of the bench. I slid my phone back into my pocket. I didnotwant to talk to him about my mom’s texts. What I wanted to do, actually, was call her immediately and ask what the bill said, but she obviously knew that, and I had a feeling she wouldn’t pick up if I did.

I made myself smile, hoping Aiden wouldn’t pick up on my discomfort. But when I took the punch from him with a murmured thanks, he just nodded and sat down on the bench, not looking at me. His leg bounced up and down, and his brow was furrowed.

“Is everything okay?” I asked.

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