Page 24 of Set on You

“Why would he say that if it wasn’t true?” She stares at me, blinking.

“Because that’s just what these guys do. They spin lie after lie. Aside from getting their dicks wet, all they care about is image.”

“What if he’s telling the truth? What if he’s actually super into you?”

“It wouldn’t matter. He’s been a total douchebag to me at the gym. Even when he kissed me, it wasn’t some romantic kiss. It was anI want to screw you against a lockertype kiss.” The latter half of my statement isn’t true. But I refuse to remember how tenderly he looked at me. How gentle he was when he touched me.

She gives me a look of derision as she sets her book facedown on the coffee table. “I don’t buy it. He went looking for you at the gym. That’s pretty extreme. He isn’t Neil, you know.”

“Maybe he’s just trying to clear his conscience,” I continue, conveniently ignoring her. “He feels guilty for being a cheater. He’s probably trying to cover his own ass. I doubt he wants his family to know he’s a secret man-whore. And now that our families are related, he’s probably doing damage control.”

“He wouldn’t do that if he was just trying toclear his conscience.I’d assume cheaters don’t have a conscience.”

I shake my head, doubtful. “People will go to great lengths to save face so they don’t have to feel awkward. And even if he isn’t lying, I’m not getting involved in post-breakup drama, especially with a dude who’s now joining the family.”

In addition to my declaration of no more hookups, I make a new vow to myself. I will never be anyone’s rebound. Ever again.

chapter ten

HE’S LOOKING ATyoulike a lost puppy,” Mel whispers as we head to the rower.

I spent the first half of our gym session filling her in on the events of last night. Like Tara, Mel is also a traitor, it seems. She’s aboard the Scott Ritchie train with a nonrefundable ticket. In fact, her enthusiasm for him heightened ten notches when he politely returned her water bottle after she forgot it at the assisted pull-up machine. I tried to tell her he doesn’t deserve a cookie for merely existing, but she dismissed me.

At no point in our entire workout has he stolen any of my machines. In fact, when it appeared we were headed for the same cable machine, he stopped and veered left. He hasn’t even given me his usual disarming smirk from across the gym.

“Did you say he was a firefighter?” she asks in between rows.

“Apparently,” I mutter, suppressing invading thoughts of himheroically dodging a perilous, fiery blaze to herd defenseless goldendoodle puppies to safety, while shirtless, of course.

She not-so-subtly ogles him from across the gym. “Don’t you think he looks like that guy from that Nicholas Sparks movie... the one who married Miley Cyrus?”

“They’re divorced now,” I say, suddenly feeling defensive of Liam Hemsworth for absolutely no logical reason at all. “And you can put your pregnancy test away. I’m not dating Scott. But if you think he’s so attractive, maybe you should date him—though I’d advise against it.”

She snorts. “I have a boyfriend. Peter, remember? He looks like Henry Golding. That’s enough handsome for me.”

I refrain from drooling at the thought. “Henry Golding, hashtag too beautiful for this world.”

We giggle, and I pretend not to admire Scott’s endurance from afar as he does what looks to be a painful number of cleans and presses.

When Mel’s gaze follows mine, I avert my stare and clap toward the rower. “You’re doing amazing. A couple hundred more meters and you’ll be free.”

“I think you should just see what he’s about. Rebound or not. Use his body for sex, even,” she suggests, completely disregarding what I’ve just said.

My neck prickles with heat at the mere mention of having sex with Scott. If our locker make-out was any indication of how incredible it would be, I would probably be ruined for life. “I’m not aboutthe other womanlife, thanks.”

As Mel finishes her last few meters, I accidentally meet Scott’s eyes as he takes a break. My cheeks flush instantly at his kind smile.This time, it isn’t that cocky grin. It appears genuine. It screamsI’m sorry.

What a mess I’ve made. Why hasn’t modern science cracked time travel yet? I’m desperate to launch myself back in time so I can avoid our hot-and-heavy make-out. I hate the awkwardness. In fact, I’d take the petty rivalry any day over this.

Making a concerted effort to ignore his entire being, I keep my eyes locked forward as Mel and I head for the exit. Before I go through the turnstile, footsteps jog up behind us.

It’s Scott, looking no worse for wear after an intense CrossFit circuit. “Crystal? Can we talk before you go?”

Mel gives me a sly look and a rushed wave. “Later, girl,” she calls over her shoulder, deserting me in the sun-filled entranceway with Scott. I make a mental note to plot an extra-difficult workout for her next time as revenge for her callous abandonment in my time of need.

I turn to him, folding my arms across my chest, gym bag dangling from my shoulder.

He glances at the floor before bringing his gorgeous eyes back to mine. The sunlight illuminates the gold flecks among the dense green. “What’s it going to take for you to accept my apology?”

---