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Or why she’s trying so hard to convince herself that behind all of this, there’s nothing. Deep down, she knows I’d be whatever kind of guy she needed me to be.

Inching near her ear, I feel her chewing what’s left of her bite. I love how slowly it travels down her throat, while her senses noticeably heighten by my closeness.

“You never liked the nice side of me, did you, though, baby?”

CHAPTER 28

FIA

My throat is closing up. I think I’m being poisoned.

I hadn’t pictured losing my life on a kale ceasar salad, but all moisture has left my mouth. All that’s left are dry chunks of lettuce and heavy breaths as I attempt to regain possession of my airway.

Sweat forms at my temple, and a pulse exclusive to one man thumps between my legs.

You never liked the nice side of me, did you, though, baby?

Jett’s preying brown eyes study me as I struggle to swallow.

“I never liked anything about you.”

Floating like a cloud, his laugh reaches every part of my skin. Loud and full, he takes his time savoring my lackluster attempt at warding him off.

“Is that right?” His eyebrows rise.

While pulling back in his chair, his large legs sprawl, wide and inviting. I hate myself for looking exactly where I shouldn’t. The swaggy jeans he has on only add to the intimidating aura that is Jett Parker.

“Yep,” I waver, desperate to sound the faintest bit convincing.

He smirks, and a shiver rolls violently down my spine.

“Care to prove it?”

Instinctually, I clench the insides of my thighs, praying to every possible god for the wetness that just surged through my panties to dry the fuck up.

I roll my eyes. “I don’t have to prove anything to you.”

That only makes his sly grin lift higher. “No, you don’t, but you have quite a bit to prove to yourself.”

His cocky attitude forces a sour taste to form in my mouth. All this incredible food now bitter and tasteless.

“Can we just eat and leave?”

A twinge of sadness fills my body. Out of all the places I could be right now, with him is where I want to be. I want to give in to this gravitational pull between us; there’s just something so much larger stopping me.

In a perfect world, where men are kind, and women don’t have to fight to save their own hearts, I’d let myself have him.

The world isn’t perfect, though, is it?

Since we arrived, all Jett’s done is watch me. Every bite, every stifled groan, he’s stolen them all. And I’m so damn comfortable with him. Really, since what happened two years ago, Jett is the only man I’ve allowed myself to feel comfortable around, and it’s frightening.

“Do you have somewhere to be?” His voice lowers.

“Anywhere but here,” I murmur under my breath, still not certain I mean it.

“Are you this quick on your toes with everyone?”

I wish.