Page 77 of Can't Take My Eyes Off You

‘We’re doing insults?’ Will asks like he’s excited about it. ‘Perfect. You, my

“friend”, are about as useful as a lighthouse in a desert, bright but not needed.’

‘Pfft,’ Alex says. ‘Don’t act likeI’mthe unwanted guest here. Why don’t take your assholes back home and follow them there.’

‘Shejustcalled me and asked me to cover over,dickweed, so do not—’ Will says, taking a step in Alex’s direction.

‘Or what?’ Alex bolsters.

‘OrI’ll kick youallout,’ I answer for both of them, stopping them in their tracks, taking the pizza from the guy now standing at my open door.

‘Fine,’ Alex says, irritation in his voice. ‘Looks like little Willy’s here to save you again so I’m going back upstairs.’

I told him I thought I was being kidnapped, and this is his response? Sure, I was exaggerating and didn’t expect Will to get here so quickly but damn, Alex. For a guy who just proclaimed his love for me to the entire city, what a mighty protector of me you are.

‘Work this shit out, Berx. Get rid of ’em.Allof them,’ Alex demands, grabbing the pizza box from my hands, shaking his head as if he’s sincerely disappointed in me as he turns to go back to my apartment like he owns the place.

When I’m at his place, I’m so uncomfortable it hurts, yet at mine, he’s got no problem stripping to his underwear, lounging on my couch and telling me who’s allowed and who’s not. We aren’t close enough for that.

‘No!’ I yell at Alex, following him into my office and up the stairs behind him. ‘You don’t get to be this casual in my apartment. We aren’t even dating anymore.’

‘What are you talking about? I just told you I loved you.’

Ugh. Right. I should deal with that right now. ‘I know I’ve avoided this conversation so far tonight but what you did today embarrassed the hell out of me.’

‘Why?’ He looks back at me, legit confused. ‘Do you have any idea how many women would love to be in your spot? It was totally romantic.’

‘It was, for a girl who likes that kind of attention. I don’t. Why do you think Will and I never worked out?’

‘Because he’s a drunk and a big fat liar?’ He chortles.

‘BecauseI didn’t want to be some reality star. I didn’t want the whole world to know me and judge my every move. You did that to me tonight. Tomorrow I’ll be in every tabloid and I hate it.’

‘How would I know you didn’t like public attention? I assumed you did, considering you date some pretty well-known dudes,’ he says, opening the pizza box and grabbing a slice.

‘You say that like I sought you both out for that reason alone. How can you pretend like there was no other way to know how to say those words for the first time?’ I ask, my voice now raised. ‘We’ve dated off and on for a year now – admittedly it’s not been a direct flight to relationship bliss – but that’s a long time, Alex, and you don’t even know the basics of me!’

‘I do, too!’ he says defensively.

‘What’s my favorite color?’

He lifts a shoulder, glancing around the room. ‘Pink.’

‘Wrong,’ I snap. ‘My middle name is?’

He lifts a hand, palm up, clearly taking a shot into the wind. ‘Marie?’

‘Wrong again, AlexanderWalterDonovan. What section of the store is my specialty?’

‘The whole store is your specialty, sweets. You’re the manager.’

I roll my eyes so hard it physically pains me. ‘Wrong. How old was I when I had my first kiss?’

‘Pass. Will’s territory.’

‘Pass? What, because you weren’t first on ride Berkley? I wasn’t your first kiss, and yet I’m not jealous of the twelve-year-old girl named Sandy who was. Or the girl who gave you your first taste of tongue, Jasmine, who did indeed resemble the Disney Princess, at summer camp when you were thirteen.’

He crosses his arms over his chest, a piece of pizza in one hand as he listens.

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