Page 66 of Nate

“Get out of my way,” she said, her voice tight and filled with irritation.

Jarrett braced his hands on each side of her, blocking her in and pushing her back against the counter. The cool marble chilled her skin through her shirt.

“You know you came in here alone so I’d follow you,” he whispered, his breath hot against her cheek.

“You know that’s not true. I can’t stand you,” Markie retorted, trying to push him away.

“It’s all an act, Markie. I can see how you look at me,” Jarrett said with a smirk, tracing his fingers lightly up her arm.

“With detest is how I look at you. One day, my mother will see you for what you are.”

She slapped his hand away in disgust.

“You think bringing Jefferson with you would make me jealous.”

“Stop touching me,” she snapped.

“I thought I told you to stay away from her. You need to remove your hand before I do it for you.”

Markie breathed a sigh of relief when she heard Nate’s voice. She looked over to see him standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame with his arms folded and ankles crossed. Though he appeared calm, Markie could tell from the intensity in his eyes that he was seething with anger.

Jarrett removed his hand, stepped back and faced Nate. He grinned, and it made Markie’s stomach turn.

“You know how women are,” Jarrett said dismissively. “They say one thing and mean another.”

Nate shook his head in disbelief. “Is that right?” He turned to face Markie. “What did you say to him?”

“I told him to leave me alone and stop touching me,” Markie replied firmly, looking directly at Jarrett, then she watched as Nate turned back to face Jarrett.

“And you took that to mean… what?”

Jarrett shrugged nonchalantly. “She was playing hard to get.”

Nate’s eyes narrowed as he stared at Jarrett. “When a woman says leave her alone, and stop touching her, you do it. You don’t try to convince her otherwise. Men like you give the rest of us a bad reputation. I don’t know who raised you, but they did a piss poor job of it.”

“Markie has been pursuing me ever since I—” Jarrett’s words were cut off by Nate’s derisive laugh.

“You’re delusional,” Nate stated firmly, pushing off the doorframe and taking a step closer to Jarrett. “She’s not into you at all. She would never want someone like you.”

“You haven’t spent enough time here to know,” Jarrett argued defensively.

“I know what I see, and I know what she told me,” Nate shot back with conviction. “And it wasn’t flattering for you, you prick.”

“You’re just fooled by her act,” Jarrett retorted smugly. “I know when a woman wants me.”

“And you should also know when one doesn’t,” Nate countered. “Markie is not interested in you. It’s pathetic that her own mother can’t see you for what you really are and kick you out for trying to get close to her daughter. You think women are beneath you and can be treated however you please.”

As Nate spoke, Markie could see his frustration growing, evident in his clenched fists and tightly set jawline. He stepped closer to Jarrett, and though Jarrett was tall, Nate was taller and broader.

“What is all the shouting about?” Stella asked as she entered the kitchen, breaking up the tense confrontation between the two men.

“Nothing, honey. Nate and I were just having a talk,” Jarrett said smoothly as he stepped closer to Stella, slipping his arm around her waist possessively.

“Yeah, how about we finish this talk outside?” Nate suggested, his voice laced with thinly veiled anger.

Markie watched as Jarrett’s face flickered with something akin to fear before he regained his cocky composure.

“I think we’ve said enough,” he stated with a smug smile.

---