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“You set the scene, but I sure as fuck tested the waters, taking time I didn’t have to show at your office and ask you for coffee. And that’s when you were sure to put me in my place, weren’t you, Elsa?”
“No,youput yourself there, because, Hale,I report celebrity news. And I’d just seen pictures of you holding hands with Blake Sharp after you had dinner with her the night before.”
“So?”
Her cheeks were pink and getting pinker, and now her perfectly shaped brows hit her hairline. “So?”
“We’re friends. If you’d asked, you’d know. We’ve been friends a long time. Everyone knows that.”
“No, you tell everyone that and everyone suspects it’s something more. Do you know how many famous people say they’re ‘just friends’ with someone, and the next thing you know, they’ve secretly gotten married on some island somewhere?” Now her eyes narrowed. “Wait. Are you inferring I used you for that interview and then threw you away?”
“I’m not inferring it, that’s what happened.”
“Oh my God,” she bit out.
“Months have passed, Elsa.”
“Indeed they have, and when you arrived this evening, I was in line behind you, and by the way, you walked right by me without even glancing at me.”
That was when Hale’s body jolted, he was so shocked he hadn’t noticed her, especially in that dress.
She kept ranting.
“But I saw you holding hands with Blake during the step and repeatjust hours ago. You came here with heras your date, and now you drag me in here like you’re pissed your side chick isn’t behaving when we hadone date. One date that meant something tome too. And it wasyouwho didn’t have the time to follow up, you went out withanother woman, and nowI’msupposed to get in line because you don’t like that some other guy shows interest in me? Like you own me?”
“Tell me you didn’t say that,” he growled.
“I said it,” she shot back.
They stared at each other, and Hale realized they were both breathing heavily.
Christ, she smelled good.
And she looked amazing.
Further, the meaning behind all the words they’d just hurled at each other suddenly shot through him like a javelin.
Just like he knew when it turned, what was happening between them, when he’d figured it out, she did too.
At first, she looked panicked.
And then she looked the opposite.
But she started backing up, not paying attention to the long tail of the skirt on her dress.
She tripped and Hale darted an arm around her, lifted her off her feet, and then carried her until her back was to the wall.
He pinned her there with his body.
“Hale,” she said unsteadily.
“You were jealous,” he said gruffly.
Her eyes landed on his mouth.
Fuck.
She’d been jealous.
