He’d promised himself, dammit. The last time he’d trusted a playboy with a pretty face and thick… wallet, he’d gotten his heart shattered into infinite tiny shards. Fleeting moments of pleasure weren’t worth it in the long run.
“Well?”
Heath frowned in the face of Westin’s incredibly arrogant smirk. “Well, what?”
“C’mon, Lennox. Surely a little ‘I’m sorry’ isn’t too much for a perfectly rational adult like yourself.”
Heaving a sigh, Heath rolled his eyes skyward. This both conveyed his annoyance and blurred his forward vision, taking Westin’s distractingly perfect body out of focus. Win/win.
“Fine. It was wrong of me to assume you were at fault. I’m sorry.”
“I question your sincerity,” Westin held out his hand, the wire dangling from his fingers, “but here’s your insurance policy.”
“What’s stopping me from using it and leaving you here?”
“You have any idea where it goes?”
“I can Goo—” No, he couldn’t. There was no Wi-Fi.
Heath muttered, “Shit,” and ignored the flutter in his stomach when Westin chuckled. Ignored the blaze of sensation up his arm when Westin grasped his wrist and turned his hand upward, placing the wire into his palm. Ignored the bone-deep desire to bury his hands into that glorious chest hair and…
There are newborns less weak than you, you… weakling.
“Go shower. I’ll wait.”
ten
. . .
Had he taunted Lennox on purpose? Yes, and he didn’t feel a lick of regret for resorting to cheap tactics, either.
The smug know-it-all wanted to sit on a high horse and act like he was the better person? Well, Evan had plenty of experience with his type, and he never let them win if he could help it. He sure as hell wasn’t letting one ruin his vacation. Lucy had already taken a stab at it, but he was still smiling, dammit.
He’d identified special request number one the moment he’d entered the house. Roses. The staff had filled the entire bedroom with them, as inentirely.He’d had to move a few vases onto the balcony to reach the bed without being stabbed. The scent still permeated the air, even with the windows thrown open. If there was a rose shortage, he knew exactly where to point the finger.
“Oh my God, how lovely!”
Evan let his eyes roll closed as Lennox took it all in. Schoolmarm had his hands pressed to his mouth as he circled the space, gushing over each bouquet.
Marta’s eyes had sparkled when she’d told him about therequests. No doubt everyone thought it was a grand romantic gesture. Only his darling ex knew the story behind why he hated roses, and she’d gone to excessive lengths to remind him of it now.
Lennox buried his face in the blooms and inhaled. “Westin, are you secretly a romantic?”
“No,” he lied, turning and stalking outside. Lennox followed like a hyena sensing weakness.
“There’s nothing wrong with that, you know.”
“You’re supposed to be showering.”
“I’m going to. I just want to know why romance makes you grumpy.”
“Do I have to remind you why you’re standing there?”
Lennox sobered, the delight melting from his face. “Right. Apologies. Again. I’ll be ready in a jiff.”
Lennox reappeared twenty minutes later in loose grey pants and a short-sleeved button-down with pale grey-blue striping. It was only half-buttoned and clung to the places he hadn’t fully dried, showing off a surprisingly cut torso.
He might act like a milquetoast, but the guy clearly knew what a chest press was, which was just shocking enough to make Evan take a second look.
