Page 85 of Boyfriend of the Hour

Shawn glanced between us like we were engaged in a tennis match. When his gaze landed back on Nathan, he was scowling.

Crap.

“I got it,” he said as he extracted a hundred-dollar bill from his wallet. He set it on the bar top and slid it toward me. “There you go, baby. You know I’ll always take care of you.” Then, as if he was bored of the whole conversation, Shawn downed the rest of the drink like water and then stood up, smacking his lips. “Well, as much as I want to sit here wasting the night away, some of us have to work in the morning.”

He leaned across the bar to grab my wrist and tug me as close as I could come with the barrier between us. I didn’t dare twist away. Part of me didn’t actually want to as the scent of his, the blend of Sauvage cologne, scotch, and a hint of tobacco, slithered around me like it was a chain around my body, locking it up tight.

But another part of me froze as he pressed a loud kiss to my closed, unmoving mouth. I didn’t even move as he squeezed my ass. Couldn’t until he’d stepped fully away, having marked me as his for everyone—for Nathan—to see.

I wrapped my arms around my waist as a sudden chill swept over me. Wrong. Everything about Shawn felt so…wrong in a way he never had before. Even when I was so mad at him I could spit, his touch had never made me shrivel like this.

Nathan still hadn’t moved.

I didn’t dare look at him.

“I’ll call you,” Shawn said as he pulled on his jacket. “We’ll make up right next week. I promise.”

I prayed he’d break that promise, just like so many others. Unfortunately, I had a feeling he wouldn’t. He never did in the beginning.

“See you, Sunshine,” Shawn called, then grabbed his coat and wove his way around the remaining bar patrons.

Nathan and I both watched until the door had closed behind him, leaving us in the bar with the few remaining customers as Tom switched on the music for last call.

Eventually, though, I managed to exhale. And finally met Nathan’s eye.

“I think heisyour boyfriend,” he said. “Notwas.”

I deflated like a balloon. “I’ll explain at home. I promise.”

Nathan’s gaze was hard and searching. “Yeah, I think you’d better.”

FIFTEEN

REASONS I’VE NEVER HAD A REAL BOYFRIEND

#1 Shawn Vamos. Thats probly it.

The next morning, just before noon, I stumbled out of my room in search of coffee, where I found Nathan looking equally sleepy as he made himself an espresso, though he had clearly already been to the gym.

We hadn’t talked much after Shawn finally left. Nathan had sat quietly at the end of the bar while I made excusesnotto hang with him there. For once, I was a model employee, doing everything I could to help Tom finish last call and clean up. We even managed to close up fifteen minutes earlier than usual.

Nathan had stayed to walk me home, and even then, he didn’t ask any questions about Shawn or demand further explanation. I didn’t offer any either. We were both tired, I said. We needed some sleep.

Now, though, I didn’t have sleep to fall back on. And the minute Nathan saw me walk into the kitchen, I knew he wasn’t going to take any other excuses to avoid this conversation either.

Fantastic.

“Here,” he said, handing me the cappuccino he’d just made for himself. “I’ll make another. And after, we should talk.”

There wasn’t much more I could say to that.

Ten minutes later, we were both sitting in the living room, facing the Degas painting, while one of us got up the nerve to speak first.

“All right,” Nathan said, finally. “It’s not really any of my business if you have a boyfriend. But I do feel misled, given the agreement we came to. It doesn’t seem appropriate for you to act as my significant other if you’re already involved with someone else.”

“I’m not involved with Shawn anymore,” I said as I folded my legs underneath me. I was still in my pajama shorts, but the throw blanket was on the other side of the couch.

“That’s not what you said last night.” Nathan’s eyes sharpened as he reached over and handed me the blanket. Without me asking.