Page 14 of Wicked Lies Grow Wildflowers
Before I can talk myself out of what I’m sure will end up being a terrible idea, I let him know that it works for me and that I’ll see him in the morning. I just know I’m going to sleep restlessly tonight.
As I headover to The Ivy & Bean I try to hype myself up and not second guess my decision to meet him or my outfit. I take a quick glance at my reflection in the window of my car. My knit sweater covers me up to my neck and my skinny jeans are tucked into my brown boots. I look nice enough but nottoodressed up. Xander has seen me in less, but I wanted to make sure I didn’t leave anything on display for his leering gaze. I don’t need to be caught off guard and one heated look from him would do just that. My hair is down and catches in the wind as I open the driver’s side door.
Let’s get this over with.
I park and head inside to the counter, ordering an iced dirty chai. When my drink is done Xander still isn’t here but he has a few minutes to spare, so I head to the back and situate myself at a two seat table. I watch the door as it chimes and a gaggle of girls rush in. I check my phone to see if he has texted, hearing the door chime again. Looking up, I find Xander staring me down from a few feet away. I stand up to cordially greet him and am instantly hit with the scent of sage and woodsy leather. I try to ignore the way my mouth waters.
As usual, his face is striking, and I take in his straight nose, sharp jaw, and gray eyes. He’s dressed casually in jeans and a brown leather jacket that stretches across his broad shoulders. He is completely, devastatingly handsome, and I try my best to ignore that fact. I can’t let it throw me off course.
“Hello, Xander. Thank you for getting back to me about the property.” I hold out my hand for him to shake and he takes it inhis, a familiar spark of energy rushing through me as we touch. Does he notice it too? If so, he doesn’t let on.
His voice skates across my skin. “Of course, thank you for agreeing to meet with me.” And then he slips his hand from mine, our contact severed as I clear my throat and look away.
Keep it together.
We sit down and I dig through my bag before bringing out the paperwork he needs to sign. We go over the details of the home sale, smoothing over all the fine print, and as I’m ready to wrap things up, he asks, “Why did you really agree to meet me today? It wasn’t only for the paperwork, was it? You and I both know this all could have been handled online. Yet you came anyway. Why is that?”
His voice lets on that he already knows the real answer, but I feign ignorance. “I’m here to sell a house. That is my job as your realtor, is it not? I often meet clients in person for paperwork.” I pause as my eyes flick down Xander as if he’s an unimpressive inconvenience. “You’re not anything special.” My biting words startle me, but I’m proud of standing my ground. He thinks I’m so easy to throw but I’m not, and I refuse to make this into a game for him. He doesn’t need to be more self assured than he already is.
He reaches out a hand, grabbing my thigh from under the table, just above my knee, as he leans in and whispers, “Tell me why you’re really here, Maeren. I’m a patient man, but it only extends so far.”
Did he just…threatenme?
His eyes are hard and I can’t look away. I feel like prey caught in a trap and I could admit that while Ididcome to make a sale, I also came because I secretly wanted to see him. But, not wanting to show my hand, I instead say, “I came to make a sale. Now, if we are done here, I’d like to get on with my day.” Donotrelent.
Xander firmly squeezes my leg now and runs his tongue along his bottom lip, refusing to break eye contact with me. “I beg to differ.”
“I don’t know what else you want me to say. This is about a home sale and nothing more. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be leaving. Go ahead and remove your hand from my leg, please.” My voice has taken on a hard edge—I’m not dealing with his shit. Xander surprisingly lets go of me as I ask, placing both arms in front of him on the table, hands grasped tightly together.
“As you wish,” is all he says. I grab my bag and stand up, but as I turn to walk away, Xander’s next words stop me in my tracks. “Guess I’ll be canceling the home sale now.”
My frame turns rigid as his words hit me like a blow. Fuck, fuck, fuck. He’s gotta be bluffing, right? I whip around and cross the few steps back over to him, bending forward to get level with his face. “What do you mean,canceling?” I seethe, pressing my palms flat to the table.
“I don’t need nor want the house anymore. I’m canceling any forward movement. Is that a problem,Maeren?” he questions me, his words smug and making me feel like a cornered animal.
“Why? Why make me come here and waste my time if you had no real intention of being serious? I went out of my way for you fornothing?” I’m trying so hard to keep my words from becoming too sharp, but the barbs are sharpening themselves each time he opens his mouth.
“I asked for the truth, Maeren. You only gave me part of it. Didn’t I tell you how much Ihateliars? You must not need this sale as much as I thought. Pity.” His smirk sends my blood far past boiling.
My mouth opens and closes like a fish—I’m totally speechless. He’s doing this to be… petty? Seriously? “If I tell you what you want to hear, will you complete the sale? Becausethis bullshit you’re pulling is ridiculous.” So much for my professionalism.
“Yes, I will, but only if your answer is convincing,” he smiles, and underneath his wickedly deceptive charm lies the gaze of a predator.
I’m so beyond stuck. The need for this commission is greater than the need for winning this pointless battle so I rush my confession out in shame. “I wanted to close the sale. And… I wanted to see you again.” I swallow.
The corner of his mouth turns up and something dark flickers across his eyes. “Hmm.” His head cocks at me as if he’s searching my face for any sign of deceit. “And why did you want to see me again, Maeren? The truth immediately this time, unless you want to keep running in circles,” he says in a voice that is now just above a whisper and even more menacing.
“I don’tknow.” Well, I might know, but he doesn’t need the full truth when I’m not even ready to admit it to myself. “Why do you even care?” I’m beyond annoyed now, bordering on absolutely livid. He needs to drop it. I feel like a kid caught stealing candy, a flush creeping up my neck with my embarrassment.
“You don’t know? Interesting.”
I’m afraid to give him the honesty he wants, but I have a lot to lose if I don’t give him exactly what he’s asking for. I swallow my pride and retorts and offer up the truth. “Everything inside me screams at me to run in the opposite direction of you, but I can’t. I haven’t stopped thinking about you since the first night we met,” I confess, the flush now across my face, giving away how nervous I truly am. I thought if I just told him I wanted to see him again that it would be enough. I should have known better.
Our faces are still level with each other and his eyes light up. He practically growls out his next words. “Good. Because I can’tget you out of my fucking head either and it’s maddening. Do you know what that kind of obsession does to a man, Maeren?”
“No.” It comes out as a breathy whisper, the oxygen sucked out of my lungs. This is… not where I thought it was going, and I’m trying my best to not act too intimidated.
“You don’t want to know the thoughts I’ve been thinking. The voice telling you to run is right, and if you’re smart, that’s exactly what you’ll do. But I can promise that I’ll catch you regardless.”
