Page 107 of Play Fake

“So you believe me? That I didn’t sleep with her?”

“Yes, although I am curious how she knew certain things.”

My hand scrubs the back of my neck, “She was aggressive. I’ll give your ex credit for that. I’m not saying he was innocent, but she’s—“

I stop myself before I say anything else that could be taken the wrong way or dig a hole where I’m not trying to.

“Handsy?” Mac offers helpfully, stabbing a piece of pasta with her fork.

“Yeah… I shouldn’t have been out with her at all. It’s just at the time, that night you seemed so broken up over him. I thought I could help you. It was before anything happened between us.”

“We almost kissed that night.”

“Did we?” I remembered it that way, but I didn’t think she did.

She raises her eyebrow. “Before I got the text messages, yeah.”

“I remember what happened. I just didn’t want to assume you were going to kiss me back.”

“I would have. I would have kissed you the night of Olivia’s birthday too if we hadn’t been interrupted. And probably in the bathroom the next morning if you weren’t such a dick. Probably the first night we met. That’s the problem. You have that effect on me.”

A swell of warmth pools around my chest at her confessions.

“You’ve had the same effect on me since the moment I laid eyes on you in that dress.”

She smiles and then her brow furrows.

“This had been one of my favorite dresses too. I thought I looked good in it.”

“You did. You do. Although, honestly, you look hot as fuck in anything you wear.”

She blushes and takes a sip of her beer.

“Is that why you were so cold to me?”

“A big part of it.”

“And the other part?”

“I was attracted to you.”

“And that counted against me?”

“I had a boyfriend, and you made that whole Mac Truck comment. And then you had the audacity to keep coming over all the time.”

“To see you.”

“What?”

“You knew Liam was always there to be with Olivia, but you never put it together why I was there?”

“I just assumed wherever Liam went, you followed.”

I laugh, “Yeah, I love the guy and all, but I’m not that attached to him.”

“But we barely talked and when we did, we fought.”

“Yeah, and you’re sexy as hell when you’re irritated with me.”