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She stiffened in his arms Only she didn’t bite as quickly as he wished she would "Jake, please, you don’t have to do this I know you’re concerned about how my family would take our relationship, but--"

"We don’t have a relationship, princess And we’re not going to"

She blinked at his loords, her body going even stiffer against his Still, she didn’t walk out of his ar to pushI could have never fallen for you if you weren’t worth it"

Too late, he realized what he’d done He’d let Sophie tell herself one lie after another about him over the years He should have o

"I’ve done things that would make you physically ill," he told her Not just all the back-alley fights he’d been in as a teenager, but the fact that he’d had to hold a knife up against his father during a drunk beating that couldn’t have ended any other way And then there was the secret he’d kept from everyone but her brother Zach, ould take it with hi her close enough to uncover it

"Jake, you don’t have to be afraid to share your past with me I lo--"

"Never" He had to cut her off before she said the fatal word "That’s never going to happen"

He wrapped his hand around her wrist and dragged her back to Smith, who hadn’t taken his eyes off the two of theether

"What about how you were going to help me make my ex jealous?"

"We both know there is no ex"

He waited for her to insist there was, al she would keep up the charade But that wasn’t the girl he’d known nearly all his life

"You’re right," she said softly "I did date someone here, but he isn’t at all important to me I’m sorry I lied to you I didn’t know any other way to try and get your attention"

Why couldn’t she be cold and calculating like other women? What was he supposed to do with that honesty? Other than crush it flatalong with the spark he hated to see extinguished in her eyes

Sranite by the time Jake and Sophie made it off the dance floor "Sorry to interrupt your dance, Sht She’s all yours"

Jake turned on his heel and forced hi of dancers, not caring who he knocked into as he made his way over to the bar But her scent was still on him, and he couldn’t shake the phanto into him as they’d danced

He didn’t need to look back to know that Sophie was staring after hi, beautiful eyes Eventually, she’d realize he’d done the right thing--for once--by walking away frouy and they’d all be standing around toasting true love while she bea dress