She rolled her eyes. Imaginary worries were a waste of good energy. “Nothing happened, Stone. Two out of the three interviews went beautifully. The men are excited about becoming book boyfriends.”
“And the third?” he pressed, eyes narrowing slightly, searching her face for any sign of trouble she might be hiding.
She held his gaze. There was no way she would reveal that the third man had pulled a gun on her. It would only escalate his fears and provoke an even bigger overreaction on his part. “Nice enough guy, but he wasn’t interested in spilling his secret for the cause.”
“What kind of secret?”
“I don’t know,” she answered honestly. “He clammed up before sharing anything.”
Stone pinched the bridge of his nose as if his level of exasperation had reached its pinnacle. “Do you even want to know who was after you?”
“Was it the guy from the garage?”
“No.”
“My ex-boyfriend?” she asked in a mostly light tone.
“No.” This time the no came out more explosive.
Stone’s one-syllable responses were grating on her nerves. “Are you sure? Because I did put his name on a do-not-date-ever list and mentioned his, uh, shortcomings in the bedroom. He’s the petty type who might want to settle a score.
Finally, Stone gave her the briefest hint of a smile, a glint in his eyes. “Trust me, he won’t be bothering you again.”
“What the hell does that mean?” A shiver went through Sophie—a cocktail of fear tinged with an undeniable thrill.
“Let’s just say we had a conversation the day after Poppie first mentioned him.”
“Are you freaking kidding me?” She balled her hands into fists and plopped them on her hips. “I handled him. I didn’t need you stepping in.”
“I simply made sure he understood the situation clearly,” Stone said in a flat tone.
“You made sure?” Sophie retorted. “For your information, I didn’t need you to rescue me.” Gah. She wished Poppie had never mentioned how gullible she’d been when it came to her ex.
Stone’s expression hardened slightly. “I just provided him a little…extra incentive to keep his distance”
“Please tell me you didn’t hit him. That’s so barbaric and not at all like the cinnamon roll hero you promised you’d be.”
His eyes narrowed. “I didn’t lay a hand on him, but I did make it abundantly clear that if he ever came sniffing around you again, my fist would be the last thing he saw before his teeth met the back of his skull.”
“Unbelievable. You are the most unbook-like boyfriend I could have ever had the misfortune to be paired with.”
“That’s because there’s nothing sweet or soft about me,” Stone bit out. “If you insist on labeling me as a book boyfriend, try dark alpha.”
“Who introduced you to that type?” Sophie asked, half curious, half annoyed, half jealous he’d been talking book boyfriends with someone other than her. And yes, she knew that was one too many halves, but it was what it was.
Stone smirked slightly. “Let’s just say, I’ve been doing my own research. Turns out there’s a whole spectrum of book boyfriend tropes you’ve conveniently never mentioned.”
Sophie sighed. “That’s because my column is focusing on those types most prevalent in romantic comedies—those that charm with a touch of vulnerability. Not…whatever you’re embodying.”
“I’m perfectly happy knowing my tragic backstory fits right in as a dark romance hero,” Stone said.
She scoffed, more to bruise his ego than out of disbelief. “You do realize those characters are aggressive lovers, rarely play by the rules, and often tread on the dark side of the law, right?”
“I’m well aware.”
“And you’re trying to tell me that’s you?”
Stone looked her straight in the eye. “I don’t know why you didn’t see that from the start.”
