Page 108 of Love Sick

Grace stands, then wobbles on unsteady legs a moment before she reaches the door. Alesha slips into the crack Grace provides.

I glare at her.

Cockblocker.

She glares right back. “I expected better from you.”

“Why? Because I’ve always been so good at controlling myself around her?”

She rolls her eyes and turns to Grace. “What were you thinking? What if I’d been Chen?”

Grace stares at the floor and shuffles her feet. “Oh. Um. I—”

The pressure finally eases off, and I sit up. “Don’t lecture her. This really isn’t your business.”

“No. You’re right. It’s not.” Alesha’s shoulders droop. Her voice lowers. “Aren’t there already enough rumors floating around, though?”

I compel myself not to growl.Don’t mention the rumors right now!God, Grace is already a hunkering ball of nerves. Did we need to remind her of her insecurities?

I stand and take Grace’s elbows. She looks into my face, lip clamped between her teeth.

“You did nothing wrong.”

She nods and forces a smile.

A notch forms between Alesha’s brows as she stares at Grace, and her mouth tightens. “Girl, you don’t need to feel guilty. It’s just…maybe your apartment is a better place for this sort ofactivity.”

The tiny smile on Grace’s face eases the tightening knot in my chest. She narrows her eyes at Alesha. “Why don’t you seem surprised?”

Alesha laughs outright. “Grace, I’ve known this was coming since our first Group Therapy. I take it this wasn’t the first time?”

Grace turns bright red.

Alesha settles into the rolling chair at the desk. “That’s what I thought. Now, you guys eat that delicious food, and we’ll pretend I never saw what I saw.”

Grace glances at me. “Uh—”

“One question, though.” Alesha holds up a finger. “Are you guysdating, or are you just…you know…” She forms a circle with one hand and slides her index finger in and out a few times.

Grace’s mouth drops open. “Ew! Alesha!”

Unapologetic, Alesha raises her eyebrows.

Grace sputters.

Her innocence is torturously adorable, and laughter has overtaken me, but I scowl at Alesha. “Not that it’s any of your business, but we aren’t fucking.”

Grace smacks my arm. “Julian!”

Wincing, I rub my shoulder. “What? We’re not.Butwe could be dating.” I give her the smile that always flusters her. “Tonight?”

Her glowing cheeks go brighter. “Really? Tonight?”

I lift an eyebrow. “Unless you have plans with your other boyfriend.”

Her grin is infectious, and she shakes her head. “No. He’s busy tonight. I’m free.”

I’m locked into her again, unable to look away. “Good. It’s a date.”

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