‘I’m not,’ I mumble, which only makes her smirk.
‘Sure,’ she says, taking a smug sip of champagne. ‘And I don’t occasionally stalk my ex’s Instagram to see if he’s balding. He is, for what it’s worth. Try again.’
I groan and sink lower into my seat. ‘You’re not going to let this go, are you?’
‘Not a chance.’ She leans forward, eyes bright and sharp as the diamonds around her neck. ‘So spill. What did he do? Or—’ Her grin widens wickedly. ‘What didyoudo?’
‘Nothing!’ I blurt. Then I pause and let out a sigh. There’s no point in denying it anymore. Sloane knows me better than I know myself. ‘Okay, notnothing.’
Her jaw drops. ‘Oh my God. You slept with him.’
‘What? No!’ I hiss, glancing towards the aisle in case one of the flight attendants overhears and runs immediately to @TrustFundTea with this information. ‘Why would you jump straight to that? Of course I didn’t sleep with him.’
I decide not to share that I’ve spent an inordinate amount of time daydreaming about it over the last week though.
‘Then what— Uh-oh. Youkissedhim.’
‘It was a mutual kissing.’
‘Define mutual.’
‘Simultaneous enthusiasm,’ I say, waving a hand.
Sloane’s grin turns triumphant. ‘Oh my God. Please tell me it was bad. Tell me it was awkward and weird and you accidentally head-butted him or burped in his mouth.’
I let out a long breath. ‘It wasn’t bad.’
Her eyes widen. ‘Oh no.’
‘Oh yes,’ I say miserably.
She stares at me like she’s trying to solve an equation. ‘So let me get this straight. You’re supposed to be fake-hating him badly enough that your fathers call off their merger, and instead you’re out here kissing and catching feelings?’
‘I’m not catching feelings,’ I say too quickly.
‘Imani.’
‘I’mnot!’
She tilts her head. ‘Why are your cheeks red?’
‘It’s warm in here,’ I mumble, fiddling with my seatbelt like it’s suddenly the most fascinating thing in the world.
Sloane huffs dramatically and flops back into her seat. ‘You’re doomed.’
I glare. ‘I’mfine.’
‘Nuh-uh. You two are going to show up, try to act like you hate each other, and accidentally look like you’re about to tear each other’s clothes off in the lobby.’
‘Not we won’t,’ I say firmly. ‘Asher and I are on the same page. The kiss was a one-time thing. We both know what our end game is here, and we’ve got our eye on the finish line. We’re sticking to the plan. The kiss changes nothing.’
‘Sure,’ Sloane says with a slight roll of her eyes. ‘Whatever helps you sleep at night.’
But that’s the problem, isn’t it?
Itisn’thelping.
Every time I close my eyes, I can still feel him. His hand at the back of my neck, the low sound he made when he kissed me like a man starved.
