Heels sinking into the carpet, I walk down the hall, not bothering to check my hair or makeup as I knock on Royce’s door.
It takes him a minute, like he’s debating whether or not to let me in, and dread settles into my belly.
I don’t like it.
When he answers, he’s annoyed, but I smile big and he doesn’t fight me when I ease past him into his apartment.
“I was hoping you’d be excited to see me,” I say, forcing myself to keep my smile in place.
“I am but,”—he huffs loudly—“it’s just ridiculous is all.”
“Whatis ridiculous?” I ask carefully, already not liking where this is going.
“You and me and thethingbetween us. I mean, seriously—what are we even doing?”
“Where is this coming from, Royce?”
“See?” He points at me. “You’re not even calling me Roy right now.”
“Because you’re acting a little crazy, and I want to know why.”
“I just spent hours, Kinsley,hourscombing through your life trying to figure out who is out to get you because as far as I can tell your ex-hookup couldn’t care less from the beach in Florida he’s currently on. Do you know how many people live in this building plus staff and maintenance? And I’ve been looking into all of them plus the creepy guy at the coffee shop and everywhere I can think of where you might have attracted someone’s attention.” That gives me pause, but I don’t have time to think about it because he adds, “And, not to mention the fact that I had to go through picture after picture of you on some hot guy’s arm and yeah—I’m a little pissed about it.”
“You’re jealous?” I ask, honestly surprised.
“Jealous? Sure. Try so damn far out of my league I can’t even understand why you’re standing in my apartment.”
I don’t like that he’s putting himself down, and I like even less that he’s trying to take me down with him.
“So what? I’ve been on a lot of dates in my life. Some were real, butmostset up as mutually beneficial for both of us.”
“That doesn’t make it better.”
“That’s the business,” I snap, because heknowsthis. I’ve never hidden any of it.
“Yeah, it’s business butlook at you,” he says, motioning toward my dress that I’d felt so sexy in walking up to his apartment.
That I’d wanted him to see me in.
I fight back the blush that tries to crawl up my neck and the embarrassment that accompanies it.
“What about me?” I ask, my voice shockingly even.
“You didn’t have to do this with me. I would have helped you.”
This.
Being together.
“What. About. Me?” The words are clipped as he hits me where it hurts the most—a place so few people get to see.
My humanity.
“You look like you stepped out of a magazine, and I’m some geek attached to a computer. So yeah—I’m jealous and pissed that we’re doing this because you’ve been on the cover of a magazine and?—”
“I’veneverdone anything to make you feel less than who you are. I’ve never gone out of my way to make you feel like you were unworthy of me.” I take a step forward but I don’t get close enough to touch him. “But you,”—I make a point of looking him up and down—“had no problem doing that tonight.”
“Kinsley,” he sighs but I push past him, not stopping as I open the door, letting it slam behind me, tears already threatening to fall as I burst into my apartment and turn the lock.
