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“Oh, I’m sorry, where are my manners?” Dane said “Peaches, this is Olivia She’s a friend Olivia, this is Peaches Lin”

“We’ve met,” Peaches said

“Yes Nice tomore aard by the minute God, she wished she was anywhere but there at the moment The way she felt, she wouldn’t even care if a sinkhole opened up and sed her whole

“Well,” Peaches said, turning back to Dane, while Olivia fixed her attention back at the co to do?”

“I really wish I could be there, Peaches Maybe Kan could go with you,” Dane offered

Peaches grabbed her bag off the table she’d dropped it on “I’ll talk to you later, Dane I’ve got to go find another date to the Krich Ball”

“Peaches,” Dane said, going after her

Well, that eird Olivia didn’t want to pry too o pack She didn’t want to be an inconvenience to Dane or his faer Clearly Dane had a life—an unconventional one at that Whatever arrangeirlfriend had was none of her business It wasn’t as if they were dating or anything He was just putting her up for the while until she got herself back on her two stilettoes

When Dane came back, he closed the door behind him, his hands in his pockets and walked over to where Olivia was sitting She tried hard not to look up She felt crushed inside, a real mess Heat rose to her cheeks, the heat of humiliation

How the hell was he going to explain that one?

“I’m sorry about all of that,” he said, his voice silky and deep

“S-sorry for what? I’irlfriend”

“Girlfriend?” he echoed incredulously

“Yes, isn’t she your girlfriend?”

Dane laughed his infectious laugh

“What’s so funny?”

“You,” he said

“Me?”

“You looked, well, upset when Peaches was here”

“Why would I be upset?”

“I don’t know,” he admitted in a low voice “But just so that you know, Peaches and I are not in a relationship”

“Well, I think you should let her know, because she introduced herself as your girlfriend Which is fine by me I mean, it’s not like I’m…” interested in you? Is that what you’re about to say, Olivia Liar

“Allow e of the desk “Peaches and I go back a few years We met in school when Jonah sent me to that fancy prep school She’s sweet Apparently, rich kids or kids of wealthy parents go there”

“You don’t have to explain, Dane,” she assured softly Nerves got the best of her Her lips started to get dry She reached over for her bottle of water and opened the top to take a sip

“I want to,” he said

He wants to?

“She’s Peaches Lin From the Lin family,” Dane continued

“The Lin fa a sip of her water “The family that makes those pencils”

Dane nodded “They’re a very…let’s just say a traditional family Well, Peaches doesn’t exactly fit into their ideals She’s prettyas I can remember”

Olivia almost choked on her water

“Are you okay?” Dane said, getting up and ently put a hand on her back and she felt electricity pulse through her body The scent of his intoxicating cologne awakened her senses

“It went down the wrong way,” she said, coughing for air “I’m okay”

“You sure, now?”

“Yes”

“Didn’t ht with you about certain things”

“Like what?”