Why does my body keep betraying me?
Ido notwant Jaxon Cage.
My stomach fluttered anyway, like my silent protest didn't matter, and his cologne tickled my nose.God, he smelled good.Why did he have to smell so good?
He pulled back just enough to look at me properly.
His gaze dragged from my boots to my hips, lingered at my waist, then climbed back up to my face like he was savoring the view.
“Damn,” he said quietly.“You look… incredible.”
I forced myself not to squirm under his attention.“You look… alright.”
One dark brow arched and the edge of his lips curled.
“Just alright?”He leaned in, successfully pressing me against the bar.My breathing hitched when his head dipped, whispering in my ear, “That’s it?I give you incredible and I get alright?”
I rolled my eyes, but my lips betrayed me by curving upward.“What exactly were you expecting?”
When he pulled back, the lazy smile on his lips promised mischief.“Oh, I don't know.Handsome, desirable, tempting, absolutely irresistible.”
“Wow, I'm surprised those words are in your vocabulary.”
That earned me a squeeze at my waist.
“Very funny.”
Smiling sweetly, I took a half-step back, needing air.Control.“I thought it was.”I flicked my gaze pointedly to his wrist.“Surprised you’re on time.Guess the watch worked wonders, huh?”
He glanced down then back up at me, his grin turning wicked.“Guess I should thank my girlfriend.Do you take your thanks in hugs?Kisses?Sexting—”
I scoffed.“Don’t push it.”
“Oh, I’m absolutely pushing it.”His eyes sparkled.“You look like you could handle it.”
“You have no idea how much I can handle.”
Heat crept up my neck before I could stop it.
Was I…flirtingwith him?
The realization hit me like a splash of cold water.
I opened my mouth to regain footing—logic, boundaries, professionalism,something—but before I could, boisterous laughter cut through the low hum of the lobby.Jaxon’s attention shifted over my shoulder, his posture tensing and his jaw setting.
I followed his line of sight.
The hotel entrance erupted with noise with a familiar group stepping inside.Their coats were damp and their voices were too loud, already staking their claim on the space.
And Chase was at the center of them.
My chest tightened at the sight of him.He laughed at something one of his friends said, fist-bumped another, then scanned the room.It was only when his eyes landed on me, he paused.
His eyes raked down my body with a familiar heat in his eyes—a heat that dimmed when he noticed how close Jaxon was standing to me.I expected to feel something when I looked at him, but all I felt was betrayal.Maybe triumph that I got a reaction out of him, too.But not the silly feeling of want.No, nothing he could do or say would fix that.
I looked away first.
Jaxon didn’t say anything.He turned to face me again, eyes locking with mine and a finger tracing along the lines of exposed skin at my waist.Whether he knew it or not, he was drawing a silent line in the sand—making Chase understand that this was where my loyalties lay now.
