Page 28 of The Anti-Bachelorette (The Anti-Bachelorette 1)

I roll my eyes but then just give in. “No. I mean I don’t think so.” I shrug again like it’s not a big deal. “He’s my boss. I am not trying to make him jealous. I just....” I pause and try to think of how to word this. “He just gets under my skin. He’s such an asshole. I just didn’t want him to one up me when he said he had a date tonight, so I said I had one too.”

Marco smiles at me like he doesn’t believe me. “You are so into him.”

I try to hide my smile but I can’t. “Ugh. I don’t want to be.”

He just grins even bigger. “C’mon. We still have to make him jealous.”

Marco sets our empty drinks down and leads me over to the dance floor. There is a slow ballad playing right now, so he pulls me extra close and places his hand on my exposed back. He grabs my other hand and leans his head down close to the side of mine.

I give him a small smile. “You know if you keep this up I might just accidently fall for you. You’re too good at this whole making people jealous scheme.”

Marco laughs and spins me around a few times. When I collide back to his chest, he looks down at me and grins. “Nah. I don’t think so. Not after the way I saw you looking at him.”

I throw my head back and laugh. “Oh that was just a look of pure hatred.”

He laughs too. “You know what they say about that fine line between love and hate.”

I roll my eyes at him. “I don’t think that asshole is even capable of love.”

The song ends, and we walk hand and hand over to the snack table. We are chatting and eating appetizers when my dad walks over. “Hey Em, you care if I borrow Marco here for a minute? We need help carrying in some boxes of drinks.”

I look over at Marco. He just smiles. “Happy to help.”

They walk away, and I head to the bar to get another drink. I am standing at the bar sipping my second glass of wine when I feel him approach. “Emory.” He clips. His voice is so deep and sexy. I briefly turn my eyes over to him then I look back straight ahead. “Alaric.”

He orders a drink and then turns to me. “Where’s your little friend?”

I just give him a fake smile. “Little? Have you seen that man? He’s chizzled as fuck.” I pretend to fan myself. Alaric rolls his eyes. I smirk back at him. “Speaking of little, has your date tried any of the food or did she request we send a kale salad to her table with no dressing?”

Alaric lets out a harsh laugh. “Attacking my date now? Real mature.”

I roll my eyes at him. “I don’t care about your date. Or you.”

He leans down closer to me. “Really? Because you sound jealous.”

I let out a fake laugh. “Ha yeah okay. What do I have to be jealous of? Having an asshole be mean to me the whole night? No thanks.” I look over to him and then add. “Marco is super sweet. Did you know he volunteered at the dog shelter today before he picked me up?”

Alaric rolls his eyes, and then I add. “Where is your date anyway?”

He just shrugs. “She went to the bathroom.”

I laugh. “For this long? What is she doing taking selfies?”

Alaric doesn’t say anything, and I smile so big at him. “Oh my God she is, isn’t she? Does she think she’s an instagram model?” I laugh.

He just glares at me and then, out of nowhere, gets right up in my space. My breath catches, and he leans in closer to my ear. “I don’t want him touching you like that.”

I take a few shallow breaths and try to calm my heart. I look up into his eyes and whisper, “Like what?”

Alaric reaches down and places his hand on my back where Marco’s hand was just moments ago on the dance floor, but when Alaric’s fingers touch my skin, it feels like electricity is flowing through them. I glare over at him. “You have no right to tell me what to do.”

His eyes are angry staring back at me as I continue. “I know you have this weird thing going with my dad like you are trying to protect me or something, but you’re not my dad. You’re just my boss, and honestly it’s kind of inappropriate the way you’re talking to me right now.”

Alaric’s stare becomes more intense, and he breathes out a few harsh breaths. Finally, he grits out. “You’re driving me insane.”

I’m about to respond when he grabs my hand and starts pulling me away. I try to protest. I whisper-shout at him. “Alaric. Alaric what the hell?”

He doesn’t respond and continues to walk until we are out of the main hall and in some hallway. Now that we are out of sight of the other guests, I talk more loudly. “Where the hell are you taking me?”

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