Page 97 of The Billionaire Boss and the Barista

She took a step back and he compensated, edging closer. “Thank you for coming back.”

“Like I could leave… you have my cat.”

“That’s a very good point.” Garrett tried a smile. “In the future, please consider Meowmus Maximus and the lifestyle he’s grown accustomed to.”

She didn’t smile back. “Are you stalling?”

Instantly sobering, he shook his head. “No, I swear. I want to explain. I was just trying to lighten things up.”

Her brows rose. “Should they be light?”

“Some parts are. But others are… upsetting.” He swallowed hard, blinking. “Really fucking upsetting.”

Her lips parted, reacting to his show of emotion.

She licked her lips. “How did we end up sleeping together if we were enemies?”

He held up a finger. “Rivals,” he corrected.

Emma fisted her hands. “Garrett!”

“I’m trying to explain here,” he said. “But there’s so much. I don’t even know where to start.”

Emma moved, edging around him. She sat on the ottoman facing the couch.

Shoving his hands in his pockets to keep from reaching out, he sat down across from her.

She looked him up and down. “Let’s start with the elephant in the room. You realize we just consummated our fake marriage, right?”

His face went slack as images of the previous night flooded his brain.

Emma kicked him with a sneakered foot. “Stop that, Mr. Most Eligible Bachelor. You’re supposed to be freaking out right now.”

His lips twitched and she shook her head, annoyed. “You’re lucky I signed a prenup. Else, I could take your mega-millions and waltz out that door and no court would stop me.”

He sobered, letting her see what he was feeling—what he hadalwaysfelt for her—on his face.

“You can have it all. Just don’t leave.”

Judging from the apprehension in her eyes, that was the wrong thing to say. When she spoke, her voice was hoarse. “Start at the beginning.”

God, that felt like a thousand fucking years ago. “The beginningwasin high school.”

“Okay.” Emma took a deep breath. “Start in high school.”

He closed his eyes, letting himself go back in time to that first day.

“You had just skipped two entire grades. The school admin transferred you into half of my classes. That wouldn’t have been a big deal, but one of them was drama and we were covering Shakespeare’s major works that semester.”

From her expression, it was clear she didn’t understand. “Why was that a problem?”

“Because Mr. Joyner, our drama teacher, didn’t let us choose our scene partners. He drew names out of a hat.” He sighed. “And I chose yours.”

The corners of her mouth tightened. “I know I’m not supposed to take offense, but offense.”

He huffed. “Yeah, that was pretty much your reaction when I asked Joyner to let me swap partners.”

Garrett leaned forward when she continued to scowl. “Emma, we were doingRomeo and Juliet. We got the kissing scene.”

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