Page 46 of Counting On You

“Well, you’re wrong.” My voice comes out sharp. I’m almost ready to grab a hold of his arm and drag him the hell out of my room before he makes me say something I might come to regret. Luckily, he turns around and puts some distance between himself and the pin board.

“How long have you two been together?” He crosses his arms over his chest and regards me with a hint of amusement in his eyes. It’s so condescending, I’m fighting hard not to kick his arrogant ass right out of my bedroom.

“Long enough to know that he loves me and that you’re being a pain in the ass.”

He cocks his head to me. “Snarky.”

“Stop communicating your conclusions drawn from bad judgment.”

“Why?”

“Why what?” Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath and force myself to hold it before I release it. “You’re really starting to piss me off. I’m reaching the maximum point of pisstivity.”

“I don’t think that’s a word,” Kade says.

My face grows hot as he turns back to my pin board and doesn’t just inspect one of the photos.

No, he’s actually removing it from the pin board to look at it.

It’s a snapshot of my sister and me, taken not too long ago when my life wasn’t the mess it currently is.

“Your best friend, I assume?” Kade says with a playful smile and a little too much enthusiasm.

I don’t know why, but his words make my heart slam in my chest. I can’t help the pang of jealousy shooting through me. It makes no sense whatsoever.

“That’s my sister.”

“She’s hot.”

Of course he had to say that. She is. She damn is. But he doesn’t need to acknowledge it.

“And taken,” I answer before his dirty mind can take off in a specific direction. “She’s getting married in two months.”

“Pity. The male population will lose another beautiful woman. Do you happen to have another sister, by any chance?”

I roll my eyes at him. “Is there a reason why you’re here, except to annoy the hell out of me?”

“As a matter of fact, yes, there is.” He leans against my tiny desk, taking his sweet time with a reply. “I need your opinion.”

I narrow my eyes at him because I don’t trust him one bit. “On what?”

“On women, obviously.” He regards me with that unnerving grin of his. “This might take a while. You might want to take a seat.”

Making myself comfortable around him is the last thing I want to do. I cross my arms over my chest. “Why don’t you get to the point? I haven’t got all day.”

“Right. Since you’re so busy, I’ll make sure to call your assistant to set up an appointment next time.”

That sarcasm of his is driving me insane. He’s lucky I’m not the argumentative type.

“Kade.” My tone carries a warning, which he doesn’t seem to want to register.

He motions to my bed. “Really, I might need some time. Come on. It’s just a conversation; I’m not going to bite. I want to hear your opinion.”

He grabs my hand, his long fingers encircling mine. I flinch a little at the way his skin feels against mine—warm, intimate, so very good. His expression remains unfazed, and I realize my strange reaction to him is not reciprocated.

His hand pulls gently, forcing me to sit.

“Okay.” I do as requested, but only because I really need him to stop touching me.

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