Page 37 of The Enemy of My Enemy Is… My Fake Boyfriend?

"I mean, I know it was all pretty dumb and lame, but really, it makes me smile to think of Chase smelling like chicken broth or screeching when he finds that spider. And I sure could use a laugh after all he's put me through lately."

Ethan's eyes met mine in the rearview mirror. "I bet. And this is just the warm-up."

An odd feeling settled into my chest, that I had an actual partner in all this, and I didn't know what to make of it. Only my sisters had ever backed me up and taken my side unconditionally with no questions asked.

Whipping off my hat, I got rid of my boyish wig, itching my scalp with relief as I let my hair down. I caught Ethan's eyes on me again, something unreadable in his gaze.

"What?" I asked. "Are you trying to sneak a peek?"

"You'll know, babe, if I'm trying to sneak a peek."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I huffed, very ungracefully attempting to climb into the front seat from the back while we were stopped.

I nearly fell and grabbed onto the first thing I could to steady myself. Ethan made a hissing noise as realization dawned on me. Yeah. My fingers were clasped around something large and solid and most definitely male.

Something much, much larger than anything Chase possessed. My freaking God. I quickly let go, my cheeks flaming as I clambered into the empty passenger seat, eyes forward, soul flipping out that I'd just felt up Ethan Locke.

"You might want to warn me next time you decide to grab my dick."

I shoved on my seatbelt, clicking it with force. "It was an accident. I swear."

"Mm-hmm."

The light changed and we drove in silence for a block. Once we stopped, I tried to look at the street signs and get my bearings because this drive suddenly seemed like it would never end.

I sensed Ethan's eyes on me before I heard his laughter. "What's so funny?" I asked, turning to look at him.

"I might have to start calling you Sideburn Stratton."

"What? I have no clue what you're talking about." My mind still couldn't get past the fact that I'd accidentally squeezed his sizable penis.

His hand reached out to my cheek, and he slowly peeled off my sideburn, somehow making it more like a caress and less like the weird sideburn removal that it was. He did the same on theother side, that flush still infusing my face and now, suddenly, other parts of my body as well.

What on earth was this about?

Our eyes locked together, his hand still remaining perilously close to the side of my face. Something hot passed between us, a spark so heated, I felt it right between my legs. I couldn't help wondering what Ethan could do with what he was hiding in his pants. He'd assured me before he wouldn't be boring or unimaginative in bed, and now my imagination seemed to take off wondering exactly what that meant.

A honk sounded behind us, breaking the weird spell, and Ethan hit the gas. "Fucking New York," he mumbled.

More determined this time to figure out where we were, I glanced out the windows and noticed we only had a few more blocks to go.

"So why are you going into the office when most people are leaving for the day?" Ethan asked.

"I actually have to work this weekend and I want to double check that everything's ready."

"That's cool. I know you're in the party planning business."

It took me by surprise that he had any clue what I did. "You already knew that?"

"Yeah. Of course. I saw photos from your big gala for the symphony a couple weeks ago, and it looked incredible."

I was stunned. Not once had Chase ever said a word about my work, and I didn't realize it until that moment, but it made me feel less than competent. Actually, worse than that, it made me feel like shit.

"Thank you," I whispered, not sure if I was more surprised by the compliment or the feeling it left me with.

"I mean it. You've done some amazing work. You've really got an eye for that sort of thing."

I didn't know what to say, completely unused to this kind of acknowledgement from anyone but my family who pretty much had to say nice things.

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