Page 63 of Hard to Resist

Oh God.

Not a hallucination.

Very real.

Cullen is very, very, very real, and this situation could get very, very, very bad.

As if sensing my panic, Cullen freezes. He takes in the two women walking next to me, and his lips press into a thin line. He pulls out his phone and begins typing away. I feel my clutch vibrate and know that it’s him.

I don’t falter my stride. I avert my gaze and stay locked ahead, trying not to give anything away to my coworkers.

I can only pray that Cullen got the silent message and he doesn’t follow me.

Jenna’s rideshare is already waiting for her when we get outside.

“Do you two need a ride? I can add in some stops.”

“Sure!” Anne jumps at the chance to spend more time with Jenna, anything that will get her an extra second to plead her case.

“I live in the totally opposite direction. Don’t worry about it.” I wave them off with a slight flick of my hand.

Jenna frowns. “Are you sure? It’s not a big deal. It’s late.”

“Yeah, I already called a car.”

“All right, get some rest. I’ll see you Monday.”

“Yup, see you then.” I give them a fake smile and wave as they shut their door, and watch as the car takes off.

I remain rooted to the spot, shivering slightly, as I wait for the car to make it to the end of the street and turn. Even then, I count to thirty before I even think about heading back inside.

I can’t play it too safe at this point.

I wrap my arms around myself and walk back up the steps to the Kelton Hotel.

Nerves dance in my belly as I make my way back to Cullen.

Part of me is still holding onto hope that maybe Jenna had it wrong. She said she didn’t know the full story. There’s a chance Cullen isn’t Celine’s ex, maybe her ex’s friend and Jenna gotthem confused. It’s not a high chance, but it’s a chance, and it’s all that is keeping me sane right now.

I feel like a glass window that is being battered by a storm. I’m holding up against the wind, but fissures are beginning to form. If I’m not careful, I just might shatter.

Cullen shoots to his feet as I get closer.

“Verity.”

My name finally leaves his lips, and the sound sprinkles warm sparkles in my chest. I gather that feeling and bottle it up for safekeeping because this conversation could very well be our last.

“Hey.” My smile is genuine, but I know there are lines of tense hesitation wrinkling the corners of my eyes. I squeeze my arms around myself more tightly. “What are you—”

I cut myself off as Cullen pulls off his suit jacket and lays it over my shoulders as a cape. It’s way too big for me, which is perfect. I can feel his residual body heat, and the scent of his cologne sticks to the material.

He gives my shoulders a quick squeeze, and it’s only now that we are so close that I am able to see my same uncertainty marring the lines on his face as well. A rock settles in the pit of my stomach.

“So, this was your big event? The one you’ve been poring over?” He tries to make his tone light, placing a hand in his front pocket.

“Yeah. This was the special branding project.”

“It looked amazing. You really did a great job for Jace.”

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