Page 45 of Love is Fake

“You’re an arrogant asshole, you know that?”

“Tell me I’m wrong,” he challenges, his dark eyes virtually black.

“I don’t have to tell you a damn thing.” I step around him, opening the door and hot-footing it out of there before one of us says or does something that can’t be smoothed over in the morning. We still have to work together somehow for Christ’s sake.

I’m proud I don’t trip on my heels as I stalk away from the house and away from Lennox. I would never be able to live it down if I fell flat on my face.

I should feel a sense of elation at having – for once – said exactly what I meant to, exactly when I wanted to. I should feel excited about going on arealdate – the first in a long time. But I don’t feel any of those things, all I feel is disappointment; I’m disappointed and angry and confused as all hell.

Chapter

Twelve

I’m on a perfectly nice date, with a perfectly nice man. So, what in tarnation is wrong with me?

Lennox’s voice has been ringing in my ears all evening.

You might be out with him, but you’ll be thinking about me.

Damn him, why did he have to be right?

I’ve been distracted all night and I’m sure the good doctor must have noticed. I’m thankful he’s keeping up the conversation more or less single-handedly as he drives me back to the Gray mansion and I direct him round the back rather than to the main door. Coming face to face with Lennox again tonight is the very last thing on my list of crappy ways for this day to end.

“You really didn’t have to walk me to my door,” I tell Jack, secretly wishing he’d just said goodnight back at the car.

“I wanted to,” he smiles as I dig around in my purse for the keys to the pool-house. “I like spending time with you, Izzy. I’d very much like to see you again.”

His voice drops and I know with a sixth sense I’ve developed over years of dating he’s going to lean in for a kiss and Ireallydon’t want him to.

What the hell is the matter with me? If we’d met two weeks ago, this guy would have landed right in the ‘keeper’ column. He ticks literally all the boxes: smart, good-looking, funny, kind and he’s a freakin’ surgeon. He’s literally the jackpot of dating.

So why don’t I feel anything at all?

He makes his move and at the last moment I tilt my head so he kisses the corner of my mouth rather than landing a direct hit.

“Look, Jack -,” I start, ready to tell him I think we should just be friends, when I take a step back and right into a solid wall. Except this one isn’t made of brick, it’s all muscle.

I don’t have to turn around to see who it is, I already know, even though I can’t really believe it.

“Lennox.” My date nods his head in acknowledgement, his frown showing he’s as confused as I am as to why Lennox is outside my living quarters when supposedly we just work together.

“Doc,” Lennox drawls, putting his hand proprietarily on my shoulder, pulling me a little closer against his warm body.

I try to step away from him, to shake him off, but he holds me tight against him, ignoring the elbow I’m digging into his side.

“You kids have fun?” Lennox asks, patronizingly and I glare up at him with all the fury I’m feeling. He doesn’t even bat an eye.

“Yes, thanks,” I say through gritted teeth, smiling an apology at Jack who looks at me questioningly as he watches the interaction between the two of us. “What’re you doing here, Nox? It’s my day off, remember?” I inject a false brightness into my voice because I have no intention of having the argument I feel brewing inside of me in front of Jack.

“This isn’t a business visit.” He looks down at me with that arrogant expression and I want to punch him right in his handsome, smug face.

I don’t believe this. He’s just made my date think there’s something going on between us.

“Well, I guess that explains why you were so distracted tonight,” Jack frowns, clearly put-out and I can’t blame him for it either.

“I’m sorry, Jack, but this really isn’t what it looks like.” I cringe at how cliché that sounds, but I don’t want him to think I’m trying to date two men at the same time.

“It’s fine, I should get going anyway,” he shakes his head, already backing away. “I’ve got an early surgery in the morning.”

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