Page 56 of Point of Contention

His smile fell and his brows furrowed. “Come again?”

“Thank you for your time, but I’m… I’m…” I stammered, trying to figure out what to say. “I’m no longer interested.”

My hands trembled as I pulled my phone out and left the meeting room, striding back toward the lobby as quickly as my feet would carry me without breaking into a full-on sprint.

The man who’d initially escorted me back to the meeting room stepped out of a doorway with a bottle of water in his hand. When he saw me, he frowned. “Ms. Blake? Where are you going?”

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I have to go.” I pushed through the door and ignored all of the questioning looks as I passed the other job fair applicants, the walk from the interior door to the exterior door lasting longer than it should have as time slowed to a crawl.

By the time I hit the sidewalk, my anger was a hot sensation in my cheeks that gave even the September sunshine a run for its money. I pulled up my contacts, then called him.

Cabot answered on the second ring. “Ms. Blake. What a pleasant surprise.”

My heart soared at the sound of his voice.He’d been slowly sneaking his way past my defenses all week, battering my resolve with lavender lattes andquips about the weather, references to our past time together, and that unwavering smirk that melted parts of me I wish could just ignore, the freaking jerk.

Which reminds me…

“Are you freaking kidding me?”

There was a beat of silence, then he said, “What’s wrong?”

“What’swrong?” I shrieked. “What’s wrong is you being the most controlling man on the planet, that’s what’s wrong.” Pacing back and forth in front of Hilltop, I waved my hand in the air as I yelled at him. “You can’t control my life, Cabot. I don’t work for you anymore.”

“I need you to be more specific.”

“Do you? Because I have a feeling you know exactly what I’m talking about.”

He sighed. “Rylan.”

“You don’t have a say in my life, Cabot!”

“Please calm down—”

My eyes widened. I stopped walking. “Calm. Down?” I said slowly.

“Ah, there she is.” He chuckled and my eyes bulged at the absoluteaudacity. “May I speak now?”

I scoffed. “No, you may not.”

Silence stretched on between us. I waited, but he actually didn’t say anything. I hadn’t expected him to humor me.

“Don’t call in any favors for me, Cabot.”

More silence.

“Hello?” I snapped.

“Now I may speak?”

“Oh my god, you’re infuriating!” I shook my head, hating the way my lips wanted desperately to tilt up at the corners. He wouldnotmake me smile. Not after he’d meddled in my life.

“I didn’t call in any favors.”

“Bullshit.”

His deep breath was audible, which finally did make me smile. “Rylan.”

God, I loved when he said my name like that.