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I decide to say hi and hurry down the hallway. My feet skid to a halt when two muscular arms appear to pick up one of the large boxes and I catch a glimpse of the closely cropped head of hair before it disappears.
Stomping down the rest of the way, I round the corner and peer at my ex-husband and heartbreaker moving across from me, looking right at home. My traitorous gaze draws to the naked back muscles—which look like a work of art, meant to be sketched on a canvas—flexing deliciously. They disappear into the waistband of his denim jeans he wore earlier.
“Have you changed your profession to a stalker now?”
As though he was waiting for me—of course he was—he takes his sweet-ass time turning around. I bite my lip, drooling at the sight of his triceps as he pushes the big box easily onto the long kitchen island. A sheen of sweat glistens on his chest and those damn abs clench, making my neglected pussy perk at being in the same vicinity as him.
“Is that how you welcome your new neighbor?” he teases.
“Not unless they’re a stalker.”
“A stalker you hired as your assistant.”
Smart-ass. “Move out.”
“Already signed the lease.” He shrugs.
I pray for patience while cursing at myself for still being attracted to this infuriating man. “You know what, I’ll complain to my landlord that I don’t want you as my neighbor.”
I’m actually good friends with him so I know it could work. He has a crush on me, so maybe I could work that in my favor. I’m going to play dirty if Dash is too. I smugly stare at him but it falters when he crosses the distance until he’s towering over me. Goosebumps prick my skin and his gaze caresses them like a wind.
“Okay,” he murmurs, not the least bit worried at my threat. “In fact, we can discuss it now. Save you the trouble of writing an application.”
“What?” I ask, confused, but when he arches one perfect eyebrow and waits, my jaw drops. “You did not just buy another apartment complex…”
His lips tug into a boyish grin at my reaction. Is he insane?
“You can’t keep buying every damn building I live in, Dash.”
“I like to invest in real estate.” Giving a flirtatious smile that makes my insides sing, he says, “So want a tour, kitten?”
“Never, stalker.” I whirl around and walk up to my door.
“Don’t tell me you’re afraid of being alone with me, kitten?”
My hand dropping halfway to my lock, I sharply twist to face him and answer, “I am.”
He freezes and all traces of amusement vanish from his face.
“I’m scared that every word out of your mouth is another lie. I’m scared you’ll destroy me again if I spend so much as a second alone with you. I’m scared to trust you. But what I’m most afraid of is that I still can’t hate you as much as I wish to. That I can’t erase you from my memory.”
I don’t wait around for his reaction and enter my apartment, knowing my nightmare that I kept at bay now awaits me. That all these months of progress and the bubble I created where he didn’t exist just went up in flames.
***
The next morning, he’s waiting for me at my door, dressed in another pair of fitted denims and a dark green button-down that complements his beautiful eyes.
“Morning, kitten,” he greets me, before taking in my purple summer dress that I paired with sandals. I’m flushed by the time his eyes return to my face, burning with a heat that makes my toes curl. I’m almost disappointed when he doesn’t whisper something filthy or pull me close. As if he can read my naughty thoughts, his mouth twitches.
“Drive with me?”
“No, thank you.” I saunter toward the elevator. He follows closely.
“We could save gas.”
“Since when do you care about the environment?”
“Any reason that gives me a chance to be with you is important to me.”
