Page 18 of So Wrong It's Right

He looks up into my face then. “I bet I can get them to communicate. I seem to remember—”

Yuck. “I gotta go.” I don’t want to hear where he was going with that. He’s the guy who named his dick, The Bone Ranger. Yes, I’m serious.

How had I ever thought him even remotely hot? Sure, he isn’t physically unpleasant to look at. From afar. Once you get too close, though, his vacant eyes are downright creepy. And don’t get me started on the over-gelled hair.

“Later, Devon.”

“Sure, babe. What do you say we go upstairs later? Catch up on old times.”

Gross.

The one person in town that I want to think I’m unavailable is probably the only one who hasn’t heard the rumor about me and Christopher being an item. Isn’t that just my luck? Honestly, if a girl can’t use a fake boyfriend to get an ex off her back...

“No, thanks. I’m interested in someone else now.” Which isn’t a lie. I’m interested in myself now. Which makes going upstairs with Devon a really bad idea. Not even the notion that getting back together with him, even for one night, would make an easy breakup story for me and Christopher could induce me to take Devon up on the offer.

“Right. The nerdy vet.” Devon puffs up his chest. Which isn’t scrawny. He’s always been high-school-jock cute. Just not grown-ass-man handsome. “I’m not surprised you pounced on the new guy. No one else in town is interested in you. He’ll wise up, though. And then you’ll come crawling back to Devon because we both know I’m the only one who is willing to fuck you.”

I wheeze at the surprise attack. How am I supposed to counter something like that?I know plenty of guys who will fuck me?“You’re a pig.”

He shrugs. “Despite your size, babe, you’re a good lay. So, I’m willing to ignore when people say I’m slumming. You think your new lover boy is going to be interested in you for very long when he realizes he could do better? There aren’t a lot of single women in town, but there are still a few who don’t outweigh him.”

“Go away, Devon. You disgust me.”

I’m trying not to ingest his words. I’ve spent the last six months putting his disgusting opinions out of my head. I’m pretty. I’m fun. I have a great life. I don’t want this little man’s insults to matter to me. But somehow, he always finds a place to put a new bruise.

“Christopher Lockwood doesn’t act like your boyfriend. Nobody has seen the two of you together anywhere but at the office. Are you sure you’re even dating?” Devon is belligerent now. And that makes him loud.

“Yes, of course I’m sure,” I answer. Just as belligerently. Because, fuck this shit. “He is a better boyfriend than you ever were. And you know what else? He’s a goddamned rock star in bed. He never gets whiskey dick like some people I know.” I’m saying this too loudly, aren’t I? “Christopher Lockwood is a better man than you in every way, but most especially in bed. He knows how to burn it down, Devon. Something you can’t do on your best day.”

An arm comes around my shoulder from behind. “Stella? Everything okay?”

I close my eyes, trying to shutter the world away. For just one second, I allow myself to pretend it can’t possibly be Christopher’s voice I just heard. It’s not mulled wine I smell. It’s not my world about to detonate all over the only bar in town.

This is all my fault. All of it. If it’s possible to die of embarrassment, I’m about to show the whole pub how it’s done.

I risk a look at Christopher then. He looks worried about me. How much did he hear? Is he just stepping in because this guy is harassing me? I turn so that I’m facing him. “I’m fine, Christopher.”

“I’m ready to go whenever you are,” he says.

And then he cups my cheeks, framing my face in his hands, and kisses me.

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