Page 50 of Tempt Thy Neighbor

I push open the door to the supply closet and slip inside.

With no light on and just two small clerestory windows that don’t let much light in, it takes a moment for my eyes to adjust to the darkness, but I can make out her shaking shoulders from across the room.

“Holls?”

She stiffens at the sound of my voice. “Go the fuck away, Sutton.”

“Not until you tell me what’s wrong. What did Jessa want?”

She whirls around, her face scrunched in anger. “Are you seriously asking me that? You know exactly what she wanted.”

“I assume it had something to do with her impromptu reminder about the office fraternization rules. But—”

“Assume?Assume?” she hisses. “This is all your fault!”

“Myfault?”

“Oh, don’t act innocent.” She shakes her head, lip curled in disgust. “Is this finally your revenge for leaving you at the diner? Because this is way worse than making you late for work, Sutton.”

What the fuck is she talking about? This isn’t revenge. I don’t even know what happened.

“Holland, I—”

“Stop.” She holds her hand up. “Just stop. I don’t want to hear it. I was just starting to think you weren’t a complete asshole, that maybe you’d grown up in the last four years since you broke my heart. Then you pulled that stunt on Saturday and now you’re sending pornographic emails to Larry from my account pretending to be me? That’s low, even for you.”

I know I should be worried about a lot of things right now, like her thinking I’m sending emails from her account to some guy who is old enough to be her father.

But all I can focus on is the fact that she’s claiming I broke her heart.

Fuck that. I didn’t break shit.

She fucking broke mine.

“I brokeyourheart?” I scoff, taking a step toward her. She retreats, but I follow. “That’s rich coming from you,princess.”

“Stop calling me that!”

“Why?” Another step, and she slinks back again, going deep into the room, the shadows nearly swallowing her. “It’s all you are. A spoiled, bratty princess who thinks just because Daddy won the lottery, she’s someone special now. But he won’t share his wealth, will he? No.” I shake my head, inching closer still as she matches my movements in reverse. “You have to plot and scheme with your mother, sleeping your way into a hefty bank account.”

She shakes her head. “What the hell are you talking about? I—”

“I heard you. I heard you talking about how great it would be to nab a Barnes. How good it would look for the family. How much credibility and financial backing it would add to your father’s business.”

I take a final step, and we’re shrouded in blackness as her back hits the rack of supplies and my arms come up to cage her in.

She’s staring up at me with wide eyes. We’re so close her chest brushes against mine as her ragged sharp inhalations fill the silence in the tiny closet.

I smell cherries, and it’s my absolute undoing.

Unable to help myself, I lean closer, dropping my nose against her cheek, inhaling the familiar scent I’ve missed so much. She’s soft and smells sweet, just like I remember.

I drop a hand to her waist, tugging her body tighter against mine, pressing my leg between hers.

She lets out a startled gasp, gripping on to my biceps. “I-I…”

My fingers find the edge of the flirty dark green dress she’s wearing for casual Friday, and she sucks her breath in, holding it…waiting.

Wanting.

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