Page 8 of How to Marry the Boss

“One minute to the New Year,” he says excitedly.

Right. One minute to the New Year. One minute until everyone can have a clean slate. I could use one of those right about now.

Matt continues his trek through the bar, handing everyone a glass of champagne. Kiera and Kami walk over to their men while I do my best to distance myself from Jake. Of all the places he could be standing, why next to me?

“I hope for your sake your roommate knows what she’s getting herself into,” I give Jake a snide comment.

“Twenty seconds!” I hear someone shout with excitement.

In my peripheral, I see Jake turn his body, as well as his gaze, toward me. “Maybe…you could tell me.”

I turn my attention to him. His eyes lock with mine. “What do you mean?”

Jake continues, inching closer to me. “I’m sorry I wasn’t clear earlier, but I had to tell you in person.”

“Tell me what?”

I hear everyone counting down from ten. But that’s background music against the thumping of my heart and the anxiety that’s creeping in. I don’t know whether to look away from him or keep our eye contact. His face is inches from mine.

“I’myour new roommate.”

“Happy New Year!” everyone around us shouts.

Before I can react, Jake wraps me in his arms, crashing his lips to mine.

I’m frozen in place. I have my eyes wide open as I watch him kiss me. What. The. Fuck?

In my book, a guy only kisses a woman if he’s into her. Jake has never and never will, taken me seriously like that. So why is he kissing me when he doesn’t actually mean it?

I should pull away. But all I can focus on is his lips on mine.

So this is what it’s like to kiss those lips. To be this close to him.

Wait. No. That’s beside the point. This has to be some kind of joke. If so, I refuse to be humiliated.

I force myself upright and push my hands against his hard, muscled chest, breaking from the kiss.

Just as I do, I hear Jonathan’s voice. “What the fuck, man?” He’s angry. Some might say even murderous.

When my brother comes into view, he looks ready to throw some punches until Nathan interferes like a referee at a football game.

“Guys, guys.” Nathan stands between the two men. “There’s no need to throw punches.”

“That’s my sister, you fuck.” Jonathan yells. His fiancée, Kiera Young, tries to pull him back.

Jake remains quiet, as though choosing to let his best friend tear him a new one.

“It’s New Year’s. Everyone has had a lot to drink,” Nathan tries to assure Jonathan.

“He’s right,” Jake responds. His once-serious expression shifts to a calm, almost smug one. “I’ve had one too many, and I got caught up in the moment.” Jake turns to me. “I’m sorry, Mia. I was out of line.”

I don’t know what’s worse, him kissing me as a joke or him saying our kiss was a drunken mistake.

What an asshat.

A couple of hours later, I leave the party on my own. The night is quiet, dark, and cold so early in the morning. My black coat keeps me warm against the freezing temperature.

I walk to my yellow Mini Cooper, and am about to unlock the passenger side door, when I sense someone behind me.

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