Page 62 of Gorgeous

“It went okay,” I say, taking a seat in the chair next to her.

“Just okay? You didn’t pick up any cooking skills you want to show me?”

My brow arches and I hope she can see the bullshit look I give her. Her intent with Breck was not to teach me how to cook. I know as much as the next man.

Anniston meets my expression, her forehead wrinkled with how high her brows are arched. She knows I’m not being forthcoming with her.

“What did you do?” she asks, sighing after a moment, leaning back in her chair as if she’s settling in for a long story.

I pop up out of my chair, my temper igniting from all the pent-up frustration over the last forty-eight hours.

“I was an asshole, okay! Is that what you want to hear?”

I pace around the patio, ten seconds from a meltdown, pulling at my hair before kicking the football Vic left out. I go through a myriad of sounds but none of them makes me feel any better.

It’s quiet when I finally turn around and face Anniston who has a stupid ass smile on her face.

It pisses me off.

“Why are you fucking smiling?” I grit out, fighting to keep from yelling and acting like an even bigger asshole than I already am.

My question only makes her smile bigger.

“Commander!” I yell, not able to hold it any longer.

Anniston chuckles. “Why, Major, I believe this girl has gotten in your head.”

I shake my head adamantly. “No.” There is no fucking way Breck is in my head. On my nerves maybe, but not in my head.

Anniston continues to smile at me like she knows something I don’t. “Huh,” she muses.

What the fuck is “huh” supposed to mean?

We’re silent after that, Anniston sipping on her coffee, staring out into the night, me pacing ruts in the grass. The cicadas are out, humming their rhythm. It’s peaceful in a world full of chaos. I pace for a few more minutes, willing myself to settle down and find neutral ground with Anniston.

“Where’s Theo?”

“He and Hayes are having dinner with a new prospect.”

I only saw Theo long enough for him to say, “I see you didn’t get laid. How pathetic.” After that, he and Hayes holed up in my office and then disappeared. I assumed it had something to do with their latest prospect for the Atlanta A’s.

“Hmm.” I say, not sure where I was heading with the conversation. I flop down onto the chair next to Anniston, huffing out a breath. “I kissed her,” I admit into the darkness.

I don’t see Anniston turn in her chair but Ihearher.

“Oh?” she breathes.

I nod, not sure if I want to reveal any more.

“And was it good?”

I inhale another deep breath, readying myself for the tongue-lashing coming my way.

“I freaked out afterwards,” I say, shame coating every word like a dirty blanket over pristine sheets. “I pushed her away.”

“Well, maybe she’s into guys that play hard to get.” Anniston’s teasing tone snaps my head up from its pity party.

“Don’t joke,” I scold her. “This is serious, Commander. She may never come back.”

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