Page 19 of Bad Boy Crush

“Good.” His mouth flinched.

“If you don’t want to compete—”

“It’s not that. It’s”—he gestured angrily to the screen—“this shit. This isn’t the fun part.”

“That’s why I’m doing it for you.” She’d wanted him to be involved with the event since she’d heard about it. He was capable of winning the other games, but he was a shoo-in for the chain saw contest. He’d been hired to create artwork for several residents of the Cove over the years. Even though they were never shy about praising him, and Lou had touted his talents to anyone who would listen, she wasn’t sure Ant saw the beauty of his own work. A first-place ribbon might help that along. He deserved to win. She wanted him to win. “Don’t you want to show off your skills?”

He grunted.

“Or are you doing this to put Hunter Medway in his place?”

Ant’s leg stopped bobbing and a small smile crept across his lips. “Partly.”

“That’s what I thought. Don’t forget I know you, Anthony.”

“I know you know me, Lourdes.” The gravel in his voice drew goosebumps to the surface of her skin. It was the way he said her full name, the way his eyes stayed on hers that made her feel seen and understood. In more than a friendly way.

She cleared her throat and turned the laptop screen toward him. “Here are the rules.”

“I don’t care about the rules.”

“They’re important.”

“Let me guess. Don’t hit anyone with an axe? Keep your chain saw to yourself?”

“Yes, and they include the size of the carving you’re allowed to create, along with the time limit you have to create it.” She smiled sweetly.

“Fine. I’ll read through them.” He seemed extra perturbed by that, but she didn’t argue. He’d agreed to participate. That was enough for her.

She pressed the print button on the screen. The printer in her office whirred to life. “You always were less concerned with details than Liam. It’s one of your best traits.”

“My lack of smarts is one of my best traits?”

“You do not lack smarts. You’re easy. It’s refreshing. Liam was very…military in his approach to life. Order. So much order, it was suffocating at times. I guess that’s what made him a good forensic accountant. All those details he paid attention to.”

And all the ones she’d overlooked.

They’d been set up by her well-meaning parents. Liam had helped her father prepare for a court case for nearly a year. Her father had been impressed by him and had talked up Liam at every opportunity. When he asked her out, she said yes. Months later, they were engaged, and a year after that, married. She’d known his quirks, including how particular he was about almost everything. What she hadn’t known was that he’d used his attention to detail for evil. He’d hidden texts, lied about being at work late, and had gone the extra mile to cover up the affair, sometimes bringing home paperwork and talking at length about the “meeting” that had run long.

“He must not have been that good at it. He didn’t cover his tracks,” Ant said.

“Well, he wasn’t clairvoyant. He had no idea I would feel suspicious out of nowhere and check his text messages.” A dart of pain spread through her chest. She’d truly believed she was overreacting. That the texts he’d been sending during dinner were to his boss. Her intuition had suggested otherwise.

Being lied to was bad enough, but foolishly believing her husband was only sleeping with her had been worse. She’d felt like an idiot, especially when she’d found out that Ant had known for days. She’d never before felt so alone.

“Glad you did.” Ant placed one big hand on her skirt, above her bare knee. When he started to pull his hand away, she rested hers on top of his. She’d been wanting to touch him since he sat down. His dark eyes turned up to hers, pain in their depths. “I’m sorry you found out the way you did.”

“There’s no good way to find out something like that.”

“Sorry, sweetheart.” His fingers flinched against her skin. Competing reactions bubbled up inside her. Hurt at being the last one to know. And undeniable attraction for Ant.

“You’re allowed to be angry too.” She cleared her throat, working up to the apology she owed him. "I never acknowledged that. Liam lied to both of us.”

“I shouldn’t have trusted him.”

“He wasn’t always a cheating, lying asshole. We both trusted him.”

“You’re right. He changed later.”

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