Page 53 of Love Sick

“Ha!” She goes for a chip, breaking it into pieces over her plate instead of eating it. “Lucky? I’m sure you imagine any man stuck with me is cursed.”

The idea of it strikes like lightning, beingstuckwith her…

Tasting that tempting mouth. Running fingers down her throat to her chest. Undressing her. Coaxing her down on a bed. Pressing those knees open while she whispersplease.

That’s not a curse.

It’s a gift.

A benediction.

The man would be a lucky son of a bitch, and an acidic tang poisons my blood as he takes the shape of Asher in my head.

Shit. Is this—are thesefantasies? Is thisjealousy? About Grace Rose, the irritating girl who—despite what she says—loathes me? Dr. Sharma must have scrambled my brain today. It’s the only explanation.

Her eyebrows knit together, fingers twisting her straw. Crap. Did she say something?

“It was a joke,” she mutters.

The server sets another Mambo Taxi before her. She wiggles in her seat.

Surfer Bro’s gaze dips to her chest. “Your food will be out soon.”

Her smile glows as she looks at him, and the hibernating caveman in my brain stirs and grunts. This isn’t good. I’m tempted to call it cruel, even, having a crush on Grace. The universe is punishing me for not knowing when to stop blood thinners. I’m sure of it.

“It’s just a drink,” I mutter.

“It’s the best drink in the whole world.”

“I know one that’s better. I’ll show you sometime.”

She lifts an eyebrow, teeth clamped around the straw. “Oh, Julian. Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”

The tone of her voice when she says my name is always the same, all prim and haughty, like she wants to lecture me.

And now I’m picturing her in a schoolgirl outfit, brandishing a piece of chalk.

“That!” She points at my mouth. “That’s the no-smile.”

Um.

No.

That’s eye fucking.

And now I know I have a tell.

This is—ishorrifyingthe right word? It’s going to be a problem, is all I’m saying.

I force my face into a different expression, anything to hide the thoughts in my head. “That’s just a regular smile.”

“Your mouth doesn’t move, Julian. It’s all in your eyes.”

Stop looking at me so closely!“Eyes can’t smile, Grace.”

She stiffens, eyes wide, gaze sharp.

I realize my mistake a beat too late. “Sapphire. I meant—”

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