“The pina coladas are outstanding.”
“I. Don’t. Drink.”
Evan swallowed a frustrated growl and leaned onto his knees to better see the stubborn ass’s face. “That’s one of the easiest drinks to mock. I’m sure they can do it without booze.”
“And I’m sure you’re quite the expert in mocking,” Lennox drawled, bringing his book up to cover his face.
Evan felt his jaw twitch as his teeth ground together. “The fuck is your problem, seriously?”
Lennox tossed the book aside and leaned forward. “Myproblem? You’re the one all hell-bent on getting me to leave the suite. And why is that? You hoping to lure another unsuspecting woman into your clutches?”
“Into my—” Evan ran a hand over his face. “Okay, for real. No one talks like that.”
“You want to know my problem? It’s you. You and this incessant needling. I’ll spend my vacation exactly how I want to, and it’s none of your damn business.”
Evan leaned on the edge of the lounger and met Lennox’s glare. “Says the guy taking every opportunity to butt into mine.”
“It’s impossible to avoid your business, since you throw it in every pretty face you see.”
“I’m trying to make the best of this situation, but you seem intent on making it as miserable as possible for both of us. You want to skulk around and sulk the entire time you’re here? Great! Have at it! But figure out a way to do it without dragging me down with you, because this is a rare break from reality for me, and I plan to enjoy it.”
Lennox scoffed. “Oh, that’s rich coming from the guy whose idea of enjoyment is toying with everyone around him.”
“You knownothingabout me.”
“I know enough.”
Evan felt his eye twitch and worried a blood vessel might pop in his brain. “We met two fucking days ago. You don’t know shit.”
Lennox dropped his feet to either side of the lounger and stood, pushing his sunglasses off his face and taking a step closer.
Okay, fine. Maybe he was 5’11. Prick.
“Weren’t you talking about first impressions the other night? I got all I needed from yours.”
Evan narrowed his eyes to keep them from rolling out of his head. What sort of bullshit karma was it that the one time he dared to go off-script, he ended up saddled with the only witness who had an opinion about it?
“Hannah was a willing participant in that first impression.”
“God only knows why.”
“Maybe because I’m a really nice guy to people who don’t go out of their way to piss me off.”
“You might want to consult a dictionary, because it doesn’t defineniceas using someone and then tossing them in the trash.”
Jesus. This again. “What. The fuck. Do you want from me?”
Lennox threw up his hands and shouted, “Nothing! Not a goddamn thing! You’re the one getting up in my face and trying to make this something. All I want is to be left alone.”
“Fine.” Evan reeled in his temper, frustrated he’d let it off-leash in the first place. Who the hell was this guy to judge him, and why was he letting it affect him? “You want to be alone? No problem. Enjoy. May you bask in solitude for the rest of your miserable fucking life.”
Lennox winced, and Evan felt a quick flash of remorse, but pushed it off before it could take root. Nice Evan was done with this shit. He shouldn’t have even bothered trying to reach out, and he was just as angry at himself for wasting the effort.
Fuck this guy and his necromantic bullshit. Trying to change the opinion of someone who’d already made up their mind was an old, old habit. One he’d shaken far too long ago for it to be rearing its head now.
“By the way,” he said, meeting Lennox’s stony gaze. “Isabella’s been asking about you. Whole family has. I’m gonna tell them I murdered you and I’ve been feeding your parts to the fish.”
“Why isn’t he here?”
