Page 63 of My Ruthless Neighbor

“Why would I do what?”

“You hate lying, don’t you?”

“That is correct.”

“Then why do you want me to lie? I thought you despised liars and can’t stand watching someone lie.”

He shoves his hands in his pockets and regards me with a hard look. “You are not wrong. I don’t tolerate lies or liars.”

I cock an eyebrow. “Yet here you are, asking me to lie to your date.”

At his silence, I continue. “Don’t you think it’s kind of ironic that Mr. Honest himself requires a liar’s help?”

He glares at me and I laugh. “Damn. I am honored to witness this historic moment where Archer Kim would commit an immoral act of lying!”

“Enough, Summer.” His tone is harsh.

“Or what?” I mock and he scowls. “Tell me, Archer. What happened to your ethics? Principles?” I chuckle but it dies down quickly when he begins to head toward me.

The distance between us is obliterated in a second. Stepping into my personal space, he grabs hold of my chin, forcing me to stare into his darkening eyes. My stomach clenches with desire.

“I’d watch that mouth if I were you, little liar.”

My fingers curl into the lapels of his suit jacket. “If I am a liar then what does that make you? A hypocrite? Because you are no saint, Mr. Kim. You are asking me to deceive your date—”

“See that’s where you are wrong.”

My heart beats loudly in my ears when his fingers leave my chin and slips beneath to cup my jaw. He tips my head back.

He leans down, down, down until his face is inches away from mine. “Did I tell you to lie?”

The air between us feels charged, my breathing uneven.

I swallow hard and his lips curl into the barest smile. “I merely told you to go back out there and tell her that I kissed you.”

“But you didn’t—” His mouth lands on mine without warning. The touch of his warm lips against mine is like an electric shock. The softness of the contact lasts for a second before the kiss turns harsh.

At first, I go completely still. Then I feel something strange. Something stirs in my belly. Something new. Something I never felt for anyone up until now. The rush of butterflies in my stomach.

It’s as if I am getting kissed for the very first time.

My eyes fall shut, my traitor body doesn’t care that he didn’t bother asking before kissing me.

Before I could process what was happening, he breaks the kiss and lifts his head. He studies my face, searching for something.

I feel my lids hooded as I watch him watch me.

“Now you know,” My already heavy lids threaten to fall shut when he brushes my lower lip with his thumb. “I never lie.”

His gaze dips to my mouth. And this time when his head drops, I find myself willingly going on my toes to have his lips on me again.

His long fingers weave into my hair. My own hands land on his chest, feeling the hardness beneath his shirt.

Archer Kim turns me on. There’s no secret to that. But tonight I got to see the extent of it.

It’s frightening. The intensity of my need for him. My ability to think, breathe, to function is stolen from me. By his kiss.

I don’t know what we are doing. I might regret it later. But for now… all I want to focus on is this. Us. His lips moving, caressing against mine.

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