Page 11 of Stuffed

I wince at having my words thrown back at me. "I may have been… hasty in that assessment."

"May have been?"

"Don't push it, Marlow."

She laughs, the sound doing dangerous things to my resolve. "Wouldn't dream of it. Though I have to say, watching you admit you're wrong might be the highlight of my year."

"Careful," I warn softly. "Or I might start thinking you're enjoying this a little too much."

"Would that be so terrible?" She steps closer, close enough that I can see the light dusting of freckles across her nose. "Enjoying things? Living a little?"

"Dangerous territory, Miss Marlow."

"Good thing I'm not afraid of a little danger." She holds my gaze. "Are you?"

The question hits harder than she probably intends. Because yes, I am afraid. Afraid of how she makes me feel. Afraid of how much I want to close this distance between us. Afraid of what might happen if I finally let someone in.

"I should go," I say roughly, gathering my papers. "I'll have my assessment to you by Monday."

"Running away again?" The softness in her voice stops me. "You're good at that, you know."

I turn back slowly. "Excuse me?"

"Every time someone gets too close to the truth, you shut down. Pull back. Run."

I laugh. “You think you have me all figured out after a few jabs at a holiday party? Try harder, Miss Marlow.”

She shakes her head, a flirty grin tugging at her lips like she’s hiding a secret. "You can't keep everyone at arm's length forever, Zane."

"Watch me," I mutter, but even as I say it, I know she's right. And that terrifies me more than anything.

"Fine." She straightens up, but there's a determined glint in her eye that makes me nervous. Like she knows the truth, like she sees through all the false bravado and bullshit after all this time. "But just so you know? I'm not giving up on you that easily."

"Why not?" The question slips out before I can stop it.

She smiles, soft and genuine. "Because I think you're worth the effort. Even if you don't believe it yourself."

I'm out the door before she can see how much her words affect me. But as I stride toward my car, her voice follows me, settling into the cracks of my carefully built defenses.

Because maybe she's right. Maybe I am running.

The question is, what am I running from? The possibility of getting hurt again? Or the possibility that she might actually be able to break through all my walls?

Either way, I'm not sure I'm ready to find out the answer.

"You're brooding again," Asher says, catching up to me as we walk to our cars. "More than usual, which is saying something."

"I don't brood."

"Right. And you definitely weren't just mentally undressing Tessa Marlow in there."

I stop short, fixing him with a glare. "Careful."

"Or what? You'll deny that there's clearly something between you two?" He leans against his Range Rover, crossing his arms. "Come on, Zane. I saw the way you looked at her when she was breaking down those numbers."

"I was evaluating their business plan."

"Sure. And the way your jaw clenched every time she bit her lip while explaining profit margins? That was just professional interest? I know whenever I’m talking ROI I get all hot and bothered too." He laughs, making no attempt to hide his amusement in all of this.

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