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wool coat she wore and took a deep, calming breath before answering. Here we go

stuck up in messy tufts, his tie hung crookedly, and his suit looked rumpled like he'd thrown it on in a hurry against his will. Which

heveled, sour-faced appearance. No need to let his foul mood rub off on her mood, not

n in clear disapproval - just as they had that first fateful night when he'd sneered at her family's co

ounter. As he brushed past her into the hallway, a faint whiff of his cologne wafted around her - a warm, spicy scent blended with zesty citrus

sation that night. Surely an ill-mannered lout like James Reynolds simply doused himself in the cheapes

he could feel the weight of his hostile glare boring into her back like a physical force as she walked, just as intense as the contemptu

he stayed put, openly scowling at her with undisguised contempt twisting his chiseled features - the

e slid into the smooth leather interior. His jaw ticked with barely restr

ful kiss she'd laid on him to get back at her ex, she had expected him to be the one

exactly done at that party. With an inward sigh, she reminded herself to stay calm and unru

ed brow, keeping her expression coolly unruffled. "I'm sorry, am I not being civil enough f

ul not to lean away from his looming presence - not after the way their bodies had molded together in that

ted disapproval before she caught herself, lips pressing together. "But you do m

ng of their impending arranged marriage. His jaw clenched hard enough to make the muscles protrude. Emma immediately regretted allowing herself

not to rise to his childish behavior again, no matter how obnoxi

e looked away with an audible scoff, his attention fully consumed by his ph

lt," he muttered venomously, enunciating

se of decorum and self-worth stinging from the insult. Still, she fought back the urge to s

d her tone back into mildness. "My apologies, James, but which of us holds down a job? Because

uncaring appearance once more. All the unfair stereotypes she'd once harbored ab

eone who simply bounces from one self-indulgent whi

's en

shrank back instinctively as he turned on her, his eyes blazing with sc

cally vibrating with rage. "I don't give a damn what messed up ideas you

them. "So let's just do whatever w

lt heat flooding into her cheeks, humiliation and hurt swirling sickeningly in her stomach at the venom in

e clipped and precise as a whipcrack. "My reasons are my own business, and they sur

lash, making her flinch as if struck. She felt her throat tighten painfully,

very insecurity she harbored about people seeing her as nothing mor

d the strength to meet his blazing glare head-on. Despite the humiliation scalding her

kier than intended, "my reasons for agreeing to this affair have

ction higher, fighting to reg

haughty look of feigned indifference. "Then we appea

resumed staring out her window as

s window. Mercifully, the main even

both still standing, and that whatever insani