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Against ment, I asked, "Yeah? What?"

"It’s called a cocktease"

I flinched That accusation had been laid at my feet before A few tiuy and then not go all the way Yeah She sucked "What’s wrong? Can’t handle a little rejection? Maybe I just don’t want you"

"Right" He grinned like I had just said so, and that annoyed ot out of the truck and went around to rin, he opened the door for me I slid down, careful not to touch hi the code to open the front door He stepped in afterme all the way to my door?"

"Yep"

"Fine" I stopped in front of the elevator and punched the button to uarded glance "You’re not getting laid"

He chuckled "I’ve never o hot to cold so fast"

"Yeah, well, you just called me a cocktease I don’t want you to have false expectations"

"Understood" There was a wealth of laughter laced in that single word

The elevator dinged and we stepped off And came face-to-face with Annie I hadn’t seen her since she’d ditched reeted uilty

"Annie," I returned

Her gaze skipped to Shaw, sliding over hiht, Em" She pulled back her shoulders It was a move I had seen her do countless times It thrust out her double Ds She stepped closer, totally invading his space as she held out her hand "Hi, I’er at him playfully

He stared down at her hand, his face cold, and I knew he remembered her The fact that he didn’t even accept her hand filled aze slid over her, but it wasn’t in a way that made me think he liked what he saw Quite the opposite That was a definite change She never had any probleuys Annie’s smile vanished and she dropped her hand

"You look familiar, too," he replied "You’re the friend who left Emerson stranded at Maisie’s" The way he eht of her

Her mouth parted in a s her shoulders "Yeah, well" She turned a tight s up in the world, Em" She looked Shaw over noith decidedly less appreciation "Hanging out with all sorts of interesting people"