rae
I was determinedto be immune to him.
Ten years ago, I’d have fallen under his spell. Marco’s flirty ways, the look he was giving me this very moment... it would have been enough. I’d have looked past his arrogance straight to daydreaming about what it would be like to kiss a man like him. That edge he wielded as a shield against God knew what would certainly be there in the bedroom too.
Never mind the cutoff shirt he’d worn earlier in the gym. Marco obviously kept himself in good enough shape to eat a hoagie without consequences. Even if it was appropriate to sleep with the competition, which it wasn’t, Min’s comment sealed the deal.
He was one ofthosekinds of guys. And I wouldn’t be a notch on someone’s bedpost.
“Not quite,” I said, standing. “It’s time for me to head back.”
His smile scared me. What did he know that I didn’t?
“How did you get here?”
Oh shit. I sighed. “Your sister drove me.”
He tsked. “She’ll text you profusely apologizing when she realizes it. In the meantime...”
“In the meantime, I can walk. It’s not that far.”
“Maybe not, but walking on the road isn’t safe. And there’s no path by the lake.”
So I’ve been told. “The road is safe enough,” I said, grabbing what remained of my water.
“I’ll drive you.”
It wasn’t a question, which irked me the most.
“That’s ok, thanks. I’ll walk.”
His gaze was piercing. His eyes were nearly black, they were such a deep shade of brown. But it wasn’t the color so much as the way he stared, as if through my soul. Marco wasn’t afraid of much.
“Why?”
His directness shouldn’t have surprised me, but it did.
“Because...” I could be direct too. It might not come as naturally to me as it did him, but I needed to grow a pair if I was going to take Jerry on headfirst. “Because we don’t like each other.”
His expression didn’t change. “We don’t?”
“No,” I insisted. “We don’t.”
“Hmm, I see. That is a problem.”
I forced myself not to smile.
“Maybe we fix that first. And then I’ll give you a ride back.”
No, no, no, no.
“Where have you been. On your tour?” He asked, looking all flirty.
It’s easy. Say, ‘Sorry, I can’t. I have work to do.’ Even though that wasn’t exactly true. Sunset Vineyards ran just fine without me, and I wasn’t even certain what I should be doing on a day-to-day basis. There wasn’t exactly a handbook for my position.
“Everywhere but the cottages,” my mouth said instead.
“Alright. Let’s go.”