Page 42 of The CEO I Hate

“Hey, I’m not the one blurring the lines by throwing jealous tantrums every five minutes.Iwas staying in my lane.”

“Which lane was that when you were trying to rip my shirt off earlier?” he snapped.

The hot prickle of embarrassment flushed across my cheeks, but I wasnotgoing to let him turn this around on me.

“It seemed like the thing to do when someone was trying to swallow my tongue. But if you really don’t want me touching you, maybe trystaying away from mein the first place. I didn’t ask you to drag me away so we could ‘talk’ in private, you know.”

“You were flirting with a cast member. I have a vested interest in protecting my show.”

I got to my feet, shuffling up to him, looking for the lie in those beautiful brown eyes of his. “I think you have a vested interest in me.”

“Mia,” he growled, low and warning, like I was one of his bad ideas come to life.

Maybe I was. God knows he was one of mine.

Because this man drove me absolutely insane. Arrogant. Controlling. Emotionally stunted. And yet here I was, staring into those dark brown eyes, still aching for the one person I should be done with.

He could make me furious in half a sentence. But he could also set my entire body on fire with just a look. And I hated that. Hatedhimfor it. Hated myself more for still wanting him.

Screw it.

He wanted to pretend he didn’t see methatway? That he didn’t want to tear my clothes off the way I did his? Fine. But I was done with his weak-ass denials we both knew were lies. I grabbed him by the front of his shirt and shoved him toward Sophie’s armchair. He staggered back into the plush leather. I leaned over him, my breath brushing his jaw.

“What are you doing?”

“Calling your bluff,” I said, letting my words ghost next to his ear. His eyes narrowed, but I shoved at his chest, wordlessly telling him to stay put as I twisted toward one of Sophie’s many costume racks, perusing my options.

“Mia, this is ridiculous.”

I pulled my shirt over my head and tossed it at him, leaving me in my bra. I disappeared behind the rack, staring at him over the top of it. He couldn’t see much between the clothes, but he knew I was half undressed now, and I watched his throat work as “I Put a Spell on You” by Nina Simone started playing on stage. How perfect.

“What are you doing?” he grumbled.

“What do you think?” I chose a pretty little gold corset from the rack, ditched my bra, and did my best to lace myself into it. It was a rushedjob. The strings in the back were so knotted I’d have to be cut out of the top when all of this was over, but I was pretty sure my boobs looked great.

“We’re supposed to be talking.”

“We can talk,” I said, stepping out from behind the rack. I picked up that feather boa he’d tossed on Sophie’s makeup table earlier, then mustered every ounce of sexy I could as I danced over to the chair. “Go on,” I said. “Say what you came to say.”

Liam’s eyes flicked up and down my body in a way that sent tremors through me. I resisted the urge to groan as a pulse started throbbing between my legs. I twirled around the chair, running the end of the boa across his lap. “Cat got your tongue?”

He said nothing. Just stared.

But his jaw was tight, his hands clenched on the arms of the chair. And the look in his eyes? That told me everything.

“How do you expect me to say anything,” he finally managed, “when you’re dressed likethatagain?”

I leaned over one arm of the chair, dangling my cleavage in his face. “Have you been thinking about me like this?” My voice was barely a whisper. “Since that day in my apartment?”

The muscle in his jaw twitched like he was biting down on the words he wanted to say.Just give it up, I silently begged.Admit you want me.

I crawled over the arm of the chair, sliding right into his lap. The heat between us spiked. “This feels familiar,” I said, settling my weight on his thighs like I belonged there. “Remember New Year’s Eve, two years ago?”

He swallowed hard. “How could I forget?”

His hands still hadn’t touched me. But they were so close. One twitch, one slip in control, and he’d be all over me again. I could feel it.

“You tell me.” I said softly. “You’ve never mentioned it since.”