Page 32 of Anyone But the Superstar

He closes his eyes briefly, as if shoring up patience, before gently relieving me of the knife and using it to point to the stool on the other side of the island. ‘Sit.’

I gladly acquiesce, moving a safe distance from both his forearm muscles and sharp objects, content to watch the movie star I was unable to kick to the literal curb mince the dented parsley in seconds, then move on to do that cool flip-stir thing with the frying pan.

If you had told me earlier that I’d find the guy I previously knew as Johnny douchebag disturbingly sexy as he movesaround barefoot in my kitchen, I would’ve thought you certifiable.

I frown at Mike gazing at Felix with hearts in his beady blue eyes.

And yet here we are.

Felix’s hair is sticking up at odd angles, a result of continually running his hands through it during his lengthy explanation. The resulting style makes him look more like John from the bar than Felix the movie star.

He throws me a smile over his shoulder that I’m sure causes rational women to throw panties at him. ‘Room service, spa treatments, the works. On me.’

Thankfully, I’ve grown impervious to forced, exaggerated charm. One perk of my upbringing surrounded by people who have everything but still want something. ‘No.’

His expression falls, and I’m annoyed to find his moue of disappointment much sexier than his mega-watt smile. ‘Why not?’

Distracting myself, I grab Mikey from the floor as he readies to make another pounce towards Felix. I’m rewarded with a growl that sounds more human-sigh-like than I want to contemplate. ‘Becausethissweet boy—’ I run my nose against Mike’s as way of an apology ‘—still has PTSD from the last hotel suite he stayed in.’ Not to mention the various payouts my brother had to make to some unfortunate Las Vegas male strippers. ‘But mainly—’ I level my bad-penny one-night stand a look I hope imbues imperviousness to bribery ‘—I 100 per cent don’t want your money.’

Felix drops his forearms on the island, leaning in close across the counter. It’s a move out of a movie I’m sure he’s played the lead role in. It makes his biceps bulge, his shoulders look broader, and it brings me closer to the face which I’m surecould sell underwear just as well as his abs. ‘Then whatdoyou want?’

I know this move too. It’s the move of someone who still wants something and is trying to feel out how far they’ll need to go to get it. And while the move usually works, especially when practiced by someone as attractive as Felix Jones, it makes me realize just how much of the upper hand I have. Even without the photograph I deleted.

I lean forward, dragging my tongue across my lips, smirking when his eyes hone in on the movement. ‘I want you…’

His Adam’s apple bobs with a hard swallow.

‘…out of my condo.’

It takes a second, but the joke lands.

His body visible deflates. ‘Ha ha, very funny.’

I can’t help but chuckle.

Mike stretches out a paw in Felix’s direction. ‘Meow.’

Felix jerks away, turning back toward the stove.

Mike slumps forward, resting his head on his paws on the counter.

‘I don’t get it.’ I scratch behind Mike’s flattened ears.

Felix doesn’t pause in cooking. ‘What?’

‘Mike usuallyhatesmen.’ My whole family knows that while Mike may tolerate men (including his owner, my brother), he is team girl all the way. Especially now that Bell, Alice and Mary are in his life.

Felix lowers the pan back on the burner, muttering. ‘I wish he wasn’t so fond of me.’

‘You didn’t seem so averse to cats when you laughed yourself to tears when I was relating Mike’s antics at the bar.’

He glances back at Mike, whose head perks up at the attention. ‘You wanna tell me cat stories or show me funny cat videos, sure, I’ll laugh all day.’ After holding Mike’s gaze for a beat, hereturns to the cooktop with a shiver. ‘But being near a cat, or a part of those stories? No thank you.’

‘So, it’s not just that Mike’s a little—’ I cover Mike’s ears ‘—unattractive? It’s all cats?’

Mike shakes me off and glares at me, prompting me to give him extra belly rubs to prevent retaliation.

‘I was mauled once.’ Felix’s t-shirt tightens, as if just recalling it has him stiffening. ‘Never really got over it, I guess.’