“Then your friend was right. He must’ve been hideous.”
“He wasn’t,” she insists.
“Your friend thought so. You still haven’t answered my question.”
Her hands drop away from her face and her eyes narrow. The fissure of heat that runs down my spine threatens to flood this elevator, turning the temperature up, and giving Alyssia something to really fan herself over.
“What question is that?”
“Why did the troll dump you? Did he find out that you have a secret fetish for ugly guys?”
She gasps again, driving me to continue.
“Okay, wasn’t that. Did he discover something really embarrassing like you have a sixth toe?”
I have to stifle a grin when her eyes bug out of her skull.
“I don’t have a sixth toe.”
“Are you sure?” I glance down at her booted feet and then back up at her.
“Even if I did have a sixth toe, is that something to make fun of?”
I point to my chest. “You’re upset with me? But your facially challenged boyfriend is the one who broke up with you over it.”
“I do not have a sixth toe!” She stomps her foot.
I hold up my hands in mock surrender. “So you say, but …” I drift off and allow my gaze drop to her feet.
“And I’m not about to take off my boots to prove it to you either.”
“Suit yourself.”
She begins pacing again.
“Did he get tired of you snoring in the middle of the night?”
She pauses and glares.
“That’s it isn’t it? You know they have machines to help with that sort of thing.”
“I don’t snore.” Her voice drips with ice.
“How do you know? You’re asleep when it hap?—”
“He said I was emotionally unavailable,” she blurts out as she begins walking back and forth again. “Isn’t that supposed to be my line?” She throws up her hands in frustration.
Alyssia stops and turns to me.
“I mean, isn’t that what women say about men?” She doesn’t wait for my answer. “But not Hudson. He’s getting a Ph.D. in psychology so he thinks he knows what he’s talking about. Guess what his dissertation is on?”
“I’m going to say?—”
“Yeah, emotional vulnerability in romantic partnerships or whatever.” She rolls her eyes. “Anyway, you shouldn’t eavesdrop on private conversations.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t have private conversations in public.”
“I wasn’t having the conversation.” She points to her chest, and I have to force my eyes not to follow that finger.
