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“Are you trying to kill me?” he says painfully between clenched teeth, running a hand through his neatly styled hair.
His question throws me, making me pause becauseI’mthe one that’s supposed to be angry. Not him. “Excuse me? What do you have to be pissed about?”
Jesse groans. “You told me to go...and you expect me to pretend you don’t exist.Fornow. How am I supposed to do that if you show up here, looking like that?” He waves his hands at my dress, circling them close to my chest, and my blush darkens. But this isn’t onme.
Stepping forward, I get in his face, making him stumble back until he hits the wall behind him. “Unlikeyou,” I snap, “I hadnoidea you would be here. I didn’t dress like this to hurt you.” I poke him in the chest. “I thought I was here forme.”
I pause, letting my finger linger for a beat too long and Jesse notices.
“So, seeing me here doesn’t affect you at all?” he asks, his voice softer than I expected.
“No,” I lie, swallowing a lump in my throat. “Unless you count the fact that I’m mad about it.”
Jesse’s brow furrows but he shakes off his thoughts, spinning me around before closing in on me to whisper. “Well for me, seeing you here,now, is torture. You look fucking incredible, Willow. But it’s not just that. It’s you in general. If you want me to forget you, I need more time. I needforever.”
My breath hitches as my heart pounds in my chest. I know what he means; it will take a lifetime to get over him too, but that doesn’t change the facts.
If only he didn’t also look incredible, and smell incredible, and…No. I’m pissed off. I need to focus on that.
When I don’t say anything, Jesse steps away, shaking his head. But I don’t let him get far before reaching for him, curling my fingers into his shirt, ready to unleash my wrath. “Wait!”
He stares down at my hand before glaring up at me. “What, Willow? What? Why are you so angry? Tell me what you’re feeling.”
His gaze is so intense, so heartbreaking, that I lose all train of thought for a second and my mind turns to static. “I’m—”
Without letting me say a word, Jesse grabs my face and leans forward, his lips hovering dangerously close, as he stares into my eyes.
His touch warms my soul, even though it shouldn’t, and I bite down on my lip, nervously pulling it into my mouth.
Jesse sucks in a breath, and my heart stops as everything around me stills.
Don’t kiss me. Don’t kiss me…Kiss me.
He lets out a whispered groan and steps back, shaking his head as the word "sorry” leaves his lips on a breath. “This just doesn’t feel over. And that's not going to change until you tell me it’s over. For good.”
My stomach twists in knots and guilt hits me. Because I can’t tell him it’s over but I also can’t tell him it’s not. And right now, I shouldn’t be focused on any of that. I should be focused on why I’m here.
“Jesse,” I begin, taking in a long breath, trying to still my rapid heartbeat.
Jesse shakes his head as if to tell me no, then changes the subject. “Why are you here?” he rasps, his voice so pained that I almost forget I’m mad at him. Almost. Until it all comes back to me.
“You know exactly why,” I rush out, my voice shaky. “Tricking me into coming tonight, even if you had good intentions, is still tricking me. And I won’t stand for it.”
“What are you talking about? I didn’t know you’d be here,” he says, his confusion so genuine that I second-guess myself.Am I wrong?
“Why areyouhere?” I ask, changing tack, trying unsuccessfully to keep the accusation out of my tone.
Jesse stares at me before answering cautiously. “They want me as a client. For me to wear their clothes. This is nothing but a schmoozing session.”
My face drops, the fire gone. “Oh. That’s nice of them.”I’m right.This is Jesse’s doing, only he probably has no idea that he’s done it.
“What’s that face for?” he asks. “What’s wrong?”
“They want to sell my jewelry designs in their stores,” I admit, watching as a warm smile lights up his face.
“That’s amazing, Willow. I’m so—”
I shake my head. “Stop. It’s all bullshit. They’re doing it to get toyou.”
