Page 67 of Fireworks & Forehead Kisses

“You haven’t responded to me, and I have to go back to the city.”

“I told you I would think about it.”

“That was 4:00 p.m. I’ve messaged you since then.”

Yes, he had. But I wasn’t obligated to drop everything and put my life on hold to respond. This was the self-entitled behavior that was infuriating. I didn’t work for him any longer.

“How did you know I was here?”

“I put a tracker on your car and phone.”

Indignation boiled up inside me.

“Just because you have more money than God does not mean you can invade people’s privacy and?—”

The corner of his lips twitched, and I knew that he was fucking with me. “The entire town is here, and you invited Gran, Fred, and Dorothy.”

It frustrated me that I’d taken the bait. It also reinforced my suspicion that he purposefully provoked me for his own amusement in our emails.

“Did you look at my terms?”

“Yes.”

“And?”

“I told you. I need to think about it.”

“You were going to marry a stranger. Would marrying me really be that much worse?”

“That was different.”

“I still don’t understand what would make a woman like you?—”

“A woman like me,” I snapped back, immediately defensive.

“Yes, someone who is intelligent, creative, honest, caring, beautiful, compassionate, resourceful, sexy, funny?—”

“Stop!” I cut him off. “You can’t do that.”

“Do what?” A crease appeared between his brows.

“You can’t beyouand then say those things.”

“Be me?”

“Yes, be an arrogant asshole and then say nice things like that.”

His lips curled at the edges again, and he got a familiar look in his eyes. It was the same one he’d gotten at the bar when he’d said I was cute.

“Don’t,” I warned him.

“Don’t what?” he asked with faux innocence.

I pointed at his chest in accusation. “You know what.”

“No, I don’t.” He lifted his hand in mock surrender.

“I am not cute.Thisis not cute.”

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