Page 27 of Reckless Temptation

Is hestalkingme?

Why?

How?

Just why?

“Hi!” The woman smiled sheepishly. “Sorry to run after you like that. I promise, I’m not stalking you.”

I laughed.That makes one of you.

“I’m Patrice Connely’s assistant. I was out handing out flyers, so you wouldn’t have seen me in the food bank garage earlier.”

“Oh!” Recognition hit now. I had noticed her from a distance. “Yes. I saw you.”

“I wanted to catch you before you left so I could set up a time for you to do a little PR with Patrice. She’s really interested in your pool fundraising efforts.”

“Sure. That would be great!” I smiled right back at her.

“Let me check my…” She frowned, patting her back pocket. “Oh, shoot. I left my phone in the van.” She held up her hands like asking a feral animal to stay put. “I’ll beright back. Do you mind waiting a sec?”

“No, that’s fine. I can wait. The bus won’t be coming right now.” I’d let my parents use the car so they could get home after me.

“Thank you!” The woman dashed off, rushing with that frantic anxiousness people had when they were always on the go, go, go.

Once she was gone, Nick sauntered up close. “You just can’t help it.”

I narrowed my eyes and crossed my arms. I just told that assistant I’d wait here for her. She couldn’t take long, and I didn’t want to risk leaving this spot for the sake of avoiding Nick.

“Help what?” I bit out coolly. He had no business out here. This was common ground. “Are you stalking me?”

“Don’t flatter yourself,” he replied dryly. “You just can’t help but try to look like a good girl. Helping out at a food bank…” Hegestured at the building I’d left behind. “Acting like you give a shit.”

“I do.” I furrowed my brow, not understanding why he had to have such an issue with me. For no reason! I’d never provoked him. I didn’t evenknowhim.

“You’re only acting like you give a shit to look good. You’re that kind of a stuck-up law student. I can tell.” He made a show of looking around. “Or is this nothing more than a stunt? Is the news around here so you can brag about being such a good girl, Little Miss Perfect?”

“You can assume whatever you want about me. That’s your prerogative. But I will not allow you to stalk me and harass me—bully me—for no reason at all.”

“Oh,youwon’t allow it?” he taunted, stepping closer. “What the hell are you going to do about it? You’re a good girl, remember? That’s what you want everyone to think.”

I stepped back, scowling. “Contrary to your delusions, I don’t care whatyouthink. And I want you to leave me alone.”

Talking back to him was a deviation from my standard reaction of doing nothing. This wasn’t letting his words in one ear and out the other. This wasn’t turning the other cheek. I was defending myself, or trying to, and giving Nick a little bit of hell right back was so… invigorating. I felt alive. Full of fire. And he was merely fanning the flames to make me more excited to push back.

“Now why would I do that?” He lowered his gaze to check me out again, slowly. “Putting you in your place is too entertaining.”

“I—”

He stepped closer again, as if trying to use his height to intimidate me. “Your place as a stuck-up, pompous law student who thinks she’s better than everyone else.”

“I don’t?—”

“When you’re just a nobody. A slut who thinks she’s all that.”

Before I could think it through, I lifted my hand and slapped him.

Hard.

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