Page 18 of The CEO I Hate (The Lockhart Brothers #1)

“Of course they loved it,” I said curtly. “There are a few notes, but nothing major. You and Jerome nailed it.” She flushed, and her lips quirked up in a little smile…but it disappeared in a hurry when I added, “What I want to know is what you were doing with Leo.”

I practically spit out the name. I hated how bitter his name sounded coming out of my mouth, but I couldn’t help it.

“Do you know how unprofessional that would be if you got involved with one of the actors from the show? And Leo, of all people! How would that look, especially with your plans to expand his arc this season? Do you have any idea what the press would say?”

Thanks to Finn, I knew how the media ate that kind of stuff up. “And do you know who’ll have to clean up all that horrible coverage? Me!”

“Excuse me,” she said, crossing her arms in that way that drove me a little wild.

“There is no ‘getting involved’ of any kind happening. We were literally just talking about his intended character development for this season, which, if you recall, is part of my job. But that’s beside the point, because you have no right to police who I talk to! ”

“To protect this show, you bet I do.”

She scoffed, shaking her head in disbelief. “You are so full of it! If I want to date an actor, I’ll date an actor. Will it be Leo? No. Because I’m pretty sure Jerome’s more his type.”

I blinked down at her. That was news to me.

My brain lagged, and Mia smirked, clearly enjoying the momentary short-circuit .

“But this town is full of actors, and if I wanted to and they were interested, I could date any of them. All of them!” Mia carried on, her voice rising. “I’ll date whoever I damn well please, and I don’t want to hear a word about it from you, because it’s none of your business!”

“Oh, believe me, I have plenty of words to share about your taste in men,” I growled. “We both know what kind of losers you’ve dated in the past.”

Her nostrils flared. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, please, all Jake ever does is complain about your exes.” I started numbering them off on my fingers.

“There was your middle school crush who asked you out on a dare, then mocked you after you said yes. Your high school boyfriend who got caught screwing someone else at prom. The guy in college who said you had to make out with his frat brother since he used you as his ante in a poker game.”

Her eyes widened. “Oh my God, you’re actually doing this.”

“Shall I go on?” I offered.

Mia folded her arms and gave me a look that could curdle milk. “Yeah, well, who cares about middle school? High school guys are all idiots. And yes, poker-Joe turned out to be an asshole. But he was phenomenal in bed.”

She shivered a little, letting out a breathy moan. “Yeah, lots of good memories there to make up for the bad ones. Mmm. Honestly? Worth it. Ten outta ten. No regrets.”

A flash of heat zipped across my entire body.

Mia smiled sweetly. “Thanks for the stroll down memory lane.” Her tone shifted, and she sighed. “Why do you even care, Liam? It’s my life.”

That hit like a sucker punch.

She had a point. Why exactly did I care ?

“Who said I care?” I growled. “I couldn’t give any less of a shit about?—”

“Oh, good,” she cut in, that sweet-as-poison tone back. “Then I’m sure you won’t mind hearing how he used to use his tongue to get me off in the co-ed showers.”

I bit down on the growl that surged up my throat.

Mia sleeping with this guy—with any guy who wasn’t me—was the last thing I wanted to hear about.

But the image of Mia, naked in the shower, her head thrown back, trying to stifle more of those delicious sounds…

That was stirring up all sorts of other feelings.

“You should stop talking,” I said, voice rough.

“Why?” Her lips curled into a smirk. “Am I bothering you? Making you uncomfortable?”

Tension coiled around us, the energy so charged a knife wouldn’t cut it. I needed to break through before it strangled me.

But Mia only pushed harder.

“Honestly,” Mia continued, running a slow, deliberate hand down her body as if mimicking his touch. “I don’t think I’ve ever come so hard in my?—”

Something inside me snapped.

I surged forward, taking her face in my hands, and kissed her, hard.

This time, there was no Jake to interrupt us. No excuses. No lies.

Just the two of us, mouths colliding, fire lighting up my blood.

I couldn’t think of anything other than the pleasure rushing through me as I coaxed her lips open, sending my tongue to explore a wet heat I’d never been able to forget, even though I’d only tasted it once, two years ago.

Fuck, two years, and she still tasted like sin and defiance and everything I shouldn’t want—but did .

Mia’s hands slowly wrapped around my waist. She tugged on my shirt like she intended to undress me right there.

I kissed her harder, deeper, tasting every inch of her mouth, and I caught the tiny hum that escaped her lips.

The intensity left my heart pounding, but just as her hands climbed up my chest, a single clear thought broke through the fog of lust.

Jake .

I broke away, horror and regret washing through me in equal measure. What the hell was I doing? How could I do this to Jake?

Mia blinked up at me, her eyes glassy. “Why did you stop?”

Why did I stop? Why had I started was the better question.

I knew that getting together with Mia wasn’t an option.

Not if I wanted to keep Jake’s friendship intact.

And right now, when his life had already turned upside down, I for damn sure wasn’t going to make him lose his best friend.

Because if I started this again with Mia, if I let it go any further, Jake would never trust me again.

There was only one thing to do here.

I shook my head at Mia, watching her face break into confusion, and I rushed for the door, leaving her behind.

Standing there.

In the wreckage of yet another stupid decision.