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Reeling, I dropped intowith hundreds of eager conference attendees

MyI could be anywhere else Just as full panic was setting in, Blake took a seat next to ray V-neck shirt and jeans

"What are you doing here?" I soundedto you too"

He gave me a smile, and my body relaxed a little,a faht was not nearly a distantabout this trip so far had been unexpected--running into Blake last night and Alli’s understandable but problematic fascination with his brother Now here I ith Blake again, sitting in the presence of geeky greatness

After lettingthe panel"

My mouth opened, but the questions of how and why stuck in ical reason why

"You did this"

"Did what?"

I glared, wishing I could level him with my stare

"You had me invited here, to speak on this panel"

"I don’t think I can take all the credit You’re a significant competitor in the social space That’s what you told us at the ht?" He leaned back into his seat the sa me cautiously

"Yes, that is what I said" I sed hard, incensed that Blake would toy with me this way

"Well, then, you shouldn’t be worried about sitting up here with the big boys You’ll do fine" He turned to his sht Blake’s eye, and now he had drawncould this go on? Until I slept with hie? In the h this panel where I was coue?

The room was filled and the other panelists sat down around us I squeezedon

"You don’t like being challenged?"

I opened reen eyes appraisingsnapped

"I like being challenged, Blake I don’t like being sabotaged" I strained to keep our conversation audible only to us Maybe in hisme, but it didn’t feel like that on my end I had plenty of self-doubt, but when soloves caiven him no reason to doubt me or my abilities

"Trust me If I wanted to hu nerve" My voice echoed through the room The emcee had turned the microphone system on, and all eyes were onI could disappear into the floor Apparently I didn’t need Blake to humiliate me I could do that fine on my own