Page 17 of Educating Arrogant Mr. Hunter

“Well, I can’t wait to try them.” I forced my breath to move in and out of my lungs evenly. It didn’t seem like she’d seen anything, but the adrenaline coursing through my body made it hard to act normal.

The heat of Beckett’s body burned into my skin as we went through the door and into the kitchen.

“See, I told you they were all right,” Ruby said. She relaxed in Grayson’s arms by the center island.

“Yeah,” Zoey shot a glance at Beckett. “Are you ready to go play Halloween games?”

“You bet, princess.” He took her outstretched hand and with a final look at me, left the kitchen.

“Is he doing okay?” Grayson asked.

I shrugged. “As well as can be expected. He needs you, Grayson. I think he feels like he’s fighting this all alone.”

He kissed the top of Ruby’s head. “Kitten, I’m going to see if he’ll talk to me.”

“Okay, babe.” She smiled at him. Once he was gone, she turned to me. “Okay, spill.”

“I don't have anything else to add. You know what Beckett’s going through.” I smoothed a hand over my hair.

“True, but that’s not what I meant.” She pointed at the hand I’d let drop to my side. “That’s your tell.”

“My tell?” What was she talking about?

“When you’re nervous, you smooth down your hair or clothes.”

I snorted. Now that she mentioned it, I realized she was right. “I think it comes from my days of modeling when everything had to look just right.”

She eyed me. “Then what’s with the flush on your face?”

My palms pressed against my warm cheeks. They grew hotter under her scrutiny.

“It was nothing.” I wasn’t ready to talk about the almost kiss between me and Beckett.

“If you say so.” She didn’t look convinced but was thankfully willing to drop it. For now.

“I do. Now let’s get out there before everyone starts to wonder where we are.” I strode to the door, attempting to hide my nerves behind a neutral mask. Ruby wouldn’t let this go forever, and I had to figure out what I wanted to say.

I needed time to collect my thoughts. I’d despised Beckett for so long it was hard to brush that away. And now we were adding another confusing layer to it all. I wasn’t sure what to do about this magnetic attraction that drew us together, regardless of the animosity that had defined our relationship for so long.

Chapter Five

BECKETT

Aloud knock sounded at my office door. Grayson stood against the doorframe. We’d developed a truce at the office during the past four days since the Halloween party. I waved him in and gestured to the seat across from my desk.

He gave me a nod, acknowledging the phone on my desk and the call I was in the middle of as he sat.

I paced. It helped me think. “Aiden, we will find another suitable one for your company. One even better than before.”

“If you don’t find something soon, we’re out, Beckett. Your company backing out of our contract has set us back. We’re looking into other states as well as Rhode Island now.”

Fuck.

Grayson cleared his throat.

I shook my head. The last thing I needed was for him to interject some apology. We were already on thin ice. “We’re working hard to acquire a building for you.”

“You have a week, Beckett. That’s all I can give you. I promised my investors we’d grow, which means more money for them. Every delay makes them unhappy.”

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