* * *
start over
“Fine, but you stay behind us,” I say, annoyed.
“Fuck.You’re gorgeous like this.”
I freeze.“Say that again.”
Sterling’s brow creases.“I didn’t say anything.”
Lucky appears at my side.I know I’m not hearing things.Despite saying it to myself and hearing it from Lachlan a hundred times a day, I’ve never once imagined Sterling calling me gorgeous before.
Unless he was talking to Lucky.
“You called me gorgeous, or you called him gorgeous—not that either is really appropriate right now.”As soon as I say the word, Sterling’s entire body stills.He’d better not deny it.“I know what I heard.”
“Guys, what’s going on?”
Sterling shifts against the wall, and I wait.Wait for this man to explain why he’s thinking about me as though he hasn’t kept his distance for two years.Wait for him to take it back so I can use the shattered remains of my broken heart to cut out the crush I’ve held on to for all this time.
His thoughts come through, slow and steady, his eyes never leaving mine.
“There’s an earring on your desk—a gold stud with a ruby in the center.You lost the other half, but you won’t throw it away because they were a gift from a dear friend.Best friend, if I had to guess.”
I nod.They were a gift from Alice.
“You call your parents every week, but only during Monica’s lunch breaks.”
“You look amazing in every color, but green always makes your eyes shine brighter.”
“Uh, guys?”Lucky is really starting to look worried now.
Sterling hushes him.
“You love crosswords, and you beat yourself up when you can’t finish them, even though you shouldn’t.I know the guy who writes them, and he’s an asshole.”
I want to laugh.Cry.Scream at him for keeping this from me.But above all, I want to fall into his arms.
“Seriously, what’s going on?”
Sterling turns to Lucky.“Mia just discovered she’s telepathic.”
It’s alarming how fast Lucky’s head turns.“You can hear this?”
I nod.
“That’s amazing.Tell Sterling he’s a prick.”
“No.”
“Spoilsport.”
Sterling, meanwhile, is making it difficult to not regret letting him stay.He disappears into the foyer before I can stop him, checking over the guards before striding over to the front door and putting himself in full view of the police.
Fuck, now he’s waving someone over.
Lucky looks as appalled as I feel—because you don’t just make yourself an easy target in the middle of an active robbery.I can’t believe this is the smartest man I’ve ever met.
