Page 64 of The Bachelor

I loved her more than life itself.

In any other circumstance, I would appreciate what she was doing.

But not now, not with him.

Even if Camden was okay with it—and I assumed he was based on the conversation at the bar—I wasn’t.

Nothing about this felt right.

“And I like to eat.” Macon eyed me as the words left his mouth. “As for the rest, I’m extremely impressed, especially considering you’re what, twenty-four?”

“Twenty-five,” I told him.

“What type of marketing?”

“Digital mostly,” I replied, “but I’ll get whatever medium my client needs or what I think will best suit them. Unlike my competitors, it’s about what’s best for the client, not me.”

“Always putting everyone else first,” Hannah said. “It’s no surprise she does so well; she’s a pleaser at heart. The girl who will bend over backward and run the extra mile to make everyone happy.”

“I don’t know about that—”

“You’re the angel of our duo—I tell you that all the time.”

My stare slowly left her and moved to Macon.

“You’re the angel … is that right?” He paused. “Just how angelic are you?”

I didn’t know how to react.

Or what to say.

So, I picked up my wine and shrugged.

I was sure if any other woman were sitting in this seat, she would have an answer, and it would sound something like,Take me home, and I’ll show you. There was no question that Macon had that kind of charm.

It just didn’t work on me.

I was too Camden-obsessed.

“We’re talking the highest level,” Hannah replied for me.

I casually and inconspicuously kicked her under the table, and she squeezed my hip in response. But it wasn’t a normal pinch. It was the kind where she was urging me to get my flirt on.

“Mmm,” Macon moaned, the sound so low that it vibrated through me, “I like that.” He ran his palm over one side of his beard and then the other, staring me down the entire time, like he was trying to decide what part of me he was going to devour first. “Maybe I need to ask you on a date and see for myself.”

Oh God.

Macon glanced around the room, his stare eventually returning to me when he voiced, “What do you say, Oaklyn? Should we grab a drink sometime?”

His voice was suddenly so loud that it made my ears ring.

So was his question.

“I—”

My voice cut off when I felt a change in the air, like the pressure in the room was increasing, causing a sensation to grow over my body.

One that hadn’t come from Hannah or Macon gazing at me.

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