Like the way Stone read you earlier when you were upset at work?my brain so generously reminds me. Apparently, my internal thoughts are pro-playboy boss. But my conscious thoughts know better.
Jordan and Lacey wave goodbye as they walk away. I glance at Stone, who is donning an expression I’ve never seen on him before (and I’ve cataloged many of his facial contortions… for book research purposes and all). His eyes are a misty blue, cheeks sunken and lips rolled inside his mouth. Sweat beads from around the edges of his hairline as he runs his fingers through his styled honey blond hair.
“What happened, Stone?” I move to touch his arm but instantly retract my hand. He isn’t mine to touch. He is my boss. He is twoyears younger than I am. I bet he hurt that woman in the past and now it’s coming back to haunt him. Just like he would hurt me if I allowed myself to open up to him.
Don’t make assumptions, Lucy.
Yeah? Well, I’ve been hurt too many times by making excuses for men. I’m not doing that anymore. I will believe my eyes instead of talking myself in circles to justify uncouth behavior.
“Just a girl from my past,” he says, planting a smile on his face. “Let’s go.”
“Am I free from being your fake girlfriend now?” I reach to open the door of his truck, but his hand closes over mine. We lock eyes. An evil grin unfurls slowly across his face as I continue to ask my questions. “Also, why tell her I’m older? What’s with that?”
“Don’t worry about it.” His voice is cool before warming to a mischievous tone that matches his face. “Hm. You were only my fake girlfriend for a span of minutes—” He gestures down his soiled shirt and pants with the hand that is not still resting on top of mine. Mercy above, his touch is absolutely electrifying. “—and all this requires more, I believe. That is, if you truly want to make up for dumping a plate of crabs on me.”
My heart races as my nerves continue to fry like chicken strips at his touch. “Are you suggesting I continue to be your fake girlfriend for some reason? I’m sure there are a million other things I could do to make up for spilling my food on you…”
As the words escape my mouth, his sly smile widens and eyes twinkle and dance. Whatever dark mood that Lacey woman had him in has vanished. The predator has come out to play with his willing-but-unwilling prey.
Maybe this is a part of his dark mood, now that I think about it?
When I’m feeling dark, I like to pretend I’m a suave, confident, and sexy woman who is capable of toying with men and then disposing of them.Not that I’d have the guts to do it in real life…
Is Stone Harper actually a good guy disguising as a villain?
Why in the world am I so internally twisted that the thought turns me on…?
Get. Some. Help. Lucy,I mentally clap back at myself.
Stone moves closer to me, our bodies inches apart against the passenger door of his truck. He tucks a strand of flyaway hair behind my ear before leaning closer and whispering, “What are you offering, Lucy May?”
Even the putrid smell of drying crab juices can’t keep my heart from beating quicker at his nearness.
A villain.
Stone Harper is definitely in his villain era.
No, not an era. He was most likely born this way.
Is he the truly evil kind or the morally gray kind?
Nope. Doesn’t matter.
I shove him away as he laughs under his breath. I take a few steps back, but he doesn’t follow. Instead, he opens the door for me. “Get in, Lucy. Don’t worry, your virtue is safe with me. But I do require your fake girlfriend acting skills.”
One: Little does he know my virtue is far from intact.
Two: Do what?!
I climb in the lifted F-150 and wait for him to settle into the driver’s side before responding. “Why in the world do you needme to pretend to be your girlfriend? Can’t you just go get an actual girlfriend?”
The truck roars to life as he gives me a cheeky grin. “I could, but the woman I want to make my actual girlfriend sadly doesn’t feel the same way.” His grin morphs into a playful pout as he shifts into gear, backing out of the parking lot.
He’s not talking about me, right?
Of course he is. He’s been after you for months. Don’t act oblivious to it, Lucy. You know the signs.
I choose to ignorethe signsbecause he doesn’t actually want meforme. He wants me for his own satisfaction. If I ever said yes to him for real, it would purely be formyown satisfaction, but I’m trying to be better than caving to Loneliness’s siren call of temptation. “What’s the occasion? Will we be seeing that woman again?”
