Page 46 of Love is Fake

Sure, you do,I think to myself. But I know a brush-off when I hear one. Not that I can blame him.

“Thanks, Jack. I really did have fun tonight,” I tell him, hoping he doesn’t think the worst of me, even though I know by this point it’s probably a lost cause.

“See ya round, Doc.” Lennox sends the man a mock-salute, his smug smile unwavering as Jack walks away.

I wait until he’s out of earshot before I stamp on Lennox’s foot, hard, making him grunt in pain. I use his surprise to shove his arm off my shoulder and then I turn around to him, poking my finger in his hard chest. “What the hell is your problem?”

He looks down at me, his eyes going to my finger as if I’m entertaining him. “What’re you talking about?”

“You just made Jack,my date, think that we’re sleeping together!” I mimic his deep tones. “Why would you sabotage my night like that? Friends don’t pull that kind of crap on each other.”

“We’re not friends, Isabella.”

“Yeah, no shit!”

“Did he kiss you?”

I look up at him, not believing he’d have the gall to ask me that question.

I shake my head at him. “As if it’s any of your damn business!”

“I’d say after what happened last night, itismy business.” His eyes flare with anger and I’m sure mine have the same fire. He may be pissed, but I’m already on my way to livid.

“Last night wasn’t a big deal, just like you said,” I remind him, my voice bitter. I turn away from him to unlock the door. I’m done with this conversation. “Go home, Nox. I don’t want to talk to you right now.”

I can almost hear his eyebrow quirk up at that.

“Iamhome. I live here, remember?”

Smart ass.

“Yeah but you don’t livehere.” I motion towards ‘my’ pool house, coming to a decision I should have seen coming from a mile away. “And I won’t be living here past tonight either,” I add.

Lennox puts his foot against the doorframe, stopping me from closing it on his surprised face. “What?”

“What ‘what’?” I glare at him. “You think after everything that’s happened, I’m going to stay here? Thanks, but no, I don’t need you thinking you can run my life because I work for you and because of one, stupid,” mind-blowing, “kiss.” And, thinking about it, I’m not sure I can even work with him anymore, not when things are this tense between us. Not when touching him will feel less professional and more…personal.

Lennox’s expression is more than surprised, he’s downright shocked. “You can’t leave. Not because of me.”

“Just watch me,” I tell him, sighing when I can’t slam the door to make my point. “Now, can you get your foot out of the way, Nox, before I break it?” I ask the question sweetly.

Nox plants his hand on the doorframe all but forcing his way inside. “We’re not done, talking.”

“Oh, we really are,” I disagree.

“I’m not leaving until I say what I came here to say, Isabella.” He fills my doorway, telling me with his body he has no intention of going anywhere.

“Fine, then we’ll talk outside.” The pool house is too small for Lennox; he has a habit of filling up every space he’s in, making it impossible to get the distance from him I need.

Lennox only takes a small step back, forcing me to squeeze past him. “Fine.”

Ass.

I cross my arms, defensively. “So what did you ruin my date to tell me?”

Lennox rubs his forehead, his expression pained. “I didn’t mean to ruin your date.”

Not even he believes that.

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