Page 18 of The Most Perfect Wrong

She smiles. “I didn’t… until I did.”

Her eyes meet mine, and it’s as if no time has passed at all. I’m right back there, in that bed with her. The bow of her lips, the freckle by her eye—still sexy as hell. I swallow. “You know, you could’ve just asked me before disappearing like a ghost.”

Her cheeks flush. “Yeah, well, that wasn’t exactly part of the plan.”

“So, what was the plan?” I ask, raising a brow. “Why did you leave?”

She hesitates, fidgeting slightly. Her fingers twist a strand of her hair, and that’s when I notice the giant ring on her finger, catching the light like a punch to the gut. My stomach knots.How did I miss that?

I force a casual tone. “That’s… a nice ring.”

My mind races with questions.

The tension between us shifts, something heavier settling in. I can’t believe I didn’t see it before—probably didn’t want to. I scoff, feeling like a fool. “So, what? You’re married?” The words slip out before I can stop them.

She shakes her head. “No,” she says a little reluctantly. “I’m engaged.” She clasps her right hand over her left, as if she can hide the fact that she’s engaged—that she slept with me and was just now flirting with me.

Engaged. My mind races. It doesn’t add up. Six months isn’t long enough to meet someone new and get engaged… unless she wasn’t single back then.

I smile softly, trying to mask the ache of disappointment. “Right. Well, you should probably get back to Jason. I’ve got a meeting.”

I head toward the door.

“Ryan, wait,” I hear her call out, but I don’t stop. I go straight to my office and close the door.

I drop into my chair.What the fuck?The walls feel like they’re closing in on me, and I scold myself for getting my hopes up. She’s not available. God, no wonder she snuck out while I was sleeping.Did she cheat on him?The thought makes me cringe. I’ve been cheated on before—I know how that shit feels, and I never thought I’d be the guy to play any part in it.

I can’t help feeling slightly disappointed. We had great chemistry. But dammit, it wasn’t just the sex. There was something about the way we clicked, the conversation, the flirting—the teasing.

And now, seeing her every day is going to mess with my head.

Chapter 7

COOPER

It’s Friday, and after today, I will have officially completed my second week of training at Nexlytic. There’s a lot to learn, which is a bit overwhelming, but I think the work will be interesting. I’ll be busy enough for the days to fly by, but the environment and the people are so laid-back that it makes the parts that would normally stress me out feel surprisingly manageable. So far, I’m liking it, but this thing with Ryan hovers over me every day—a stormy raincloud that’s gloomy as fuck.

I haven’t run into Ryan all week. I’ve caught glimpses of him from a distance, just enough to know he’s around, but it seems like we’re both purposely steering clear of any real encounter. I’m almost positive he thinks I cheated on Brad, and I don’t blame him. But I didn’t—did I? I don’t know why I haven’t had the nerve to just go talk to him, explain everything. Part of me feels justified in my actions, but that other part… well, it feels guilty.

I’m sitting in the conference room, waiting for Jason while my thoughts have their way with me. How did this even happen? Seriously. What are the odds? It feels like I’d have a better chance of being struck by lightning than meeting a stranger across the country, sleeping with him, and then—six months later—not only living in the same city, but working in the same space. It’s surreal. I can’t help but wonder why—what it all means. I’m not usually one to read into these kinds of things. I don’t believe in fate or that things happen for a reason.

Butthis—this feels like the universe perfectly aligned just to fuck with me. I can’t believe I didn’t think about my ring. And he noticed it while I was flirting with him—great timing.Good job me.

Still, part of me wants so badly to talk to him—to really get to know him on a deeper level. I think about that night way more than I should—especially for someone who’s engaged. But the other part of me? That part says I’d be perfectly fine avoiding him forever. Except… I think that part of me is lying.

Jason pops his head into the room, pulling me from my thoughts. “Hey, Cooper, I’ve got a situation I’m dealing with. Can you meet me back here in thirty? Feel free to take a coffee break.”

“Okay.”

He’s out the door before I can say more.Feel free to take a coffee break?Nowthat’swhat I’m talking about. This place has such a European vibe—no stress, take time for yourself, sip your coffee, maybe even lie down, get comfy while you work. Whoever came up with this concept deserves a medal.

I take his suggestion and head for coffee. As I walk into the café, I spot Ryan standing in line. My instinct is to turn around and make a quick escape before he notices me, but before I can, Rebecca—a young twenty-something from my team—passes by with a smile.

“Hey, Cooper!” she calls out, her voice ringing through the café.

Shit.Ryan turns at the sound of my name, raising his brows and giving me a pointed look. I wince. My heart skips a beat as I lock eyes with him. Dammit. There’s no backing out now. Looks like I’m getting in line.

I reluctantly step behind him, feeling his eyes on me. “Hey,” I mutter, keeping my gaze fixed forward.

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