Page 62 of Reputation (Tempt)

The following morning,I woke up feeling even more exhausted than when I’d gone to sleep. But as I tossed and turned in my bed, I knew it was futile. So I dressed in my workout clothes and tried to pretend everything was fine.

It was easier said than done.

A quick glance at my phone revealed the truth. Overnight, my life had changed. I was famous now. For no other reason than the fact that I was engaged to Nate Crawford. And everyone had an opinion about it.

I was used to people having an opinion on me, especially my body. The more my social media had grown, the more incendiary the response—both good and bad. Random guys messaging me dick pics. Telling me they jerked off to me. People criticizing my body or my form. But this… I inhaled a shaky breath.Thiswas a million times that.

My inbox was flooded with messages. My social media notifications were overwhelming. Comments on older posts—both positive and negative. It was all too much.

Let alone the fact that I didn’t even know what to tell my family or Kendall. I was avoiding everyone, and I knew that strategy would only last so long.

We were leaving for Abu Dhabi tomorrow. I sighed and opened the door to the gym, hoping a workout would help me clear my head. But I stopped short when I spotted Nate filling his water bottle. His navy athletic shirt flowed like silk over his sculpted shoulders.

He turned to face me, frowning. “Emerson?”

“Morning,” I muttered, heading for the treadmill to warm up.

He stalked over to me. “What the hell are you doing?”

“What does it look like?” I barked back, not appreciating his tone. “Warming up for my workout.”

He shook his head, his lips forming a line. “You can’t be serious.”

“Of course I’m serious.” I placed my hands on my hips, annoyed that he thought he knew what I did or didn’t need. “I have a training schedule. My coach is expecting me to log my workout.”

“Don’t you thinkyour dadwould want you to take the day off, considering you were just in the hospital?”

“Doubtful,” I muttered. Nate didn’t know my dad.

“We should at least talk to a doctor first,” he hedged, concern tingeing his expression.

I was still trying to reconcile Nate’s words with his actions, starting with visiting me in the hospital. Maybe it had been partially motivated by Brooklyn’s worries, but Nate didn’t have to go to the lengths he had. Then staying the night at the hospital with me—sleeping in a chair, no less. And now his continued apprehension.

While part of me was annoyed with him for being overbearing and pushy, I couldn’t deny that another part of me liked it. Liked that he cared.

“I’ll be fine. Besides, it’ll help flush my system. Purge whatever caused my reaction.”And, hopefully, my desire for you.

Nate narrowed his eyes and stepped closer, closing the distance between us. “Emerson, you need to?—”

“No.” I cut him off. I swear to god, if he tried to tell me what to do, I was going to junk-punch him. I’d had enough of that from my dad.

“You were in the hospital less than twenty-four hours ago,” he growled, his tone sending a tingle down my spine. “We still don’t know what landed you there in the first place.”

“I’m just going to do a light workout,” I said. “Nothing strenuous.”

“I don’t like it.”

“You don’t have to,” I seethed. If he’d just keep his mouth shut, this would be so much better. “You aren’tactuallymy fiancé. And even if you were, I’d still make my own decisions.”

“Like you do with your dad?” he asked, our faces mere inches apart.

“Enough.” I placed my hands on his chest and shoved. I’d had enough. “I have a workout to do, and I’m done arguing with you about it.”

“Fine.” He crossed his arms over his chest.

Fine?I clenched my fists, my annoyance growing with every second. For a fake fiancé, he was awfully overbearing. I scrutinized him, trying to decipher the reasons behind this sudden change of heart.

“You can’t stop me.”

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