Page 56 of Undeniably Enemies

I hold up a hand, stopping him before he gets carried away with this kumbaya stuff. “I have a few stipulations.”

His lips twitch. “Go on. What are they?”

“I don’t want to talk about that night ever again. As far as I’m concerned, it never happened. Same with what happened that following Thanksgiving.”

He frowns and stares straight into my eyes with a despondent look. “Wren?—”

I shake my head, cutting him off. “No more kissing or talking about spankings or being your good girl. No mention of sex toys or what you’d like to have happen with them.”

Now he’s frowning.

“I mean it, Jack. I’ll be civil with you, but I don’t like the line we’ve flirted with. I will not be anyone’s regret again.”

His eyes vacillate between mine, an opera’s worth of emotions flickering over his features. He opens his mouth but quickly closes it, and finally, after a long beat, nods in what almost appears like defeat.

He turns to return to his apartment, but before he shuts the door, I hear him say, “I never regretted you. It was everything else I didn’t know how to handle.”

The door shuts behind him, and I blow out a breath. Whatever. He can say what he likes, but it doesn’t matter. I have my hard line, and I won’t budge on it.

I go inside and shower off a day spent in the ER. I slip into a cute cream-colored sweater that shows a peekaboo of stomach above my favorite jeans. By the time I’m done blowing out my hair, applying my makeup, and pulling the last of the cookies out of the oven, the buzzer on my door sounds. I hit the unlock button, and seconds later, I hear voices and laughter carry up the stairwell to me.

Opening my door, I’m immediately greeted by Owen, who gives me a big hug, followed by Mason, Vander, Stone, Alden, Keegan, Kenna, Sorel, Katy, Bennett, and Estlin.

“Wow.” I laugh. “So many of you. And here I thought this was a girls’ night.”

“We’re going to see Jack’s place,” Owen explains.

“Yeah, he needs help setting up his new TV and systems,” Vander finishes.

“And that’s where you come in, cyber dude.”

“Like Batman.” He winks.

“We want to see his place too.” Sorel gives me a sheepish look. “Do you mind?”

“No.” Because I want to see it as well. “We’re civil now.”

Everyone stops dead in their tracks and stares at me as if I just grew a second head.

“For real?” I think Estlin might cry with happiness.

“Yep. Don’t believe me, ask him.”

I pan my hand in his direction since he’s now opened his door, likely having heard the ruckus in the hall.

“Is it true?” Estlin questions. “You and Wren are friends now?”

“Whoa, slow your roll there, baby cakes. I never said friends. I said civil.”

Jack chuckles and gives me a small smile. “Yes. We’ve officially declared a truce.”

“Wow.” Katy laughs. “Angels are weeping, and hell has frozen over.”

“So it would seem,” Jack agrees. “Are you coming in, or are you all just going to stand there gawking at me?”

Katy grabs my arm and hauls me along with them into Jack’s apartment which smells like his cologne but also fresh paint and sawdust. It’s loaded with gleaming hardwood floors, shiny new appliances and countertops, and some drool-worthy built-ins. It’s nice, and the layout is almost a mirror image of mine.

The guys immediately go for the living room, taking over his large sofa and chairs, already talking sound systems and TVs.

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