“You're the boss.” Unzipping my jacket, I let it fall to the floor. The shop was full of people, and all of them—man and woman alike—stopped to stare at me and my naked chest. I wasn't watching them, though.

I was watching Nix.

Her eyes flew wide, the perfectly addicting pinkness of her blush crawling up her neck. I loved watching that happen. “Abell!” she hissed, raising her arms as if she could hide me from everyone. “Why do you insist on getting naked all the time? Stop!”

Elongating my body, making the muscles in my back ripple, I put on a confused face. “Stop? But everyone seems to be enjoying the view.”

She scanned the crowd, fidgeting when she noticed the girls snapping photos of me. There were some frowns, but mostly, the women were eating me up. It was only Nix that was getting upset.

Holding the red shirt against me like a curtain, she grit her teeth. “Why are you doing this?”

Pointedly, I met her stare. I could see the emotion swirling in her green eyes, and I hoped she could feel even a hint of mine. Why am I doing this? It was a good question, and my answer came out more calmly than it should have. “To make you jealous,” I whispered.

Nix transformed into a statue. Her hands were talons, so tight they might never let go of that shirt. “What?” she asked, breathing the single word out.

“It's true.” Gently, I took the shirt from her, sliding my arms through the sleeves. Around us, people made noises of disappointment. The show was over; in minutes the shoppers dispersed, leaving Nix and I alone among the racks.

Her hands still hovered in the air, fingers bent. I had the terrible suspicion that she was getting ready to claw my eyes out. Instead, she let her arms drift to her hips limply. “Why would you mess with me like that?” she asked.

Slipping into my jacket, I zipped the front. “I'm not. Isn't it obvious that I like you?”

“You don't like me,” she laughed, acid coating her tongue. “You just want to use me. I'm another pair of walking tits to you, only these tits are dragging access to your cash behind them like a ball and chain. That's what you want from me.”

I steadied myself. Her words were harsh, but she wasn't entirely wrong. “Nix—”

“Stop.” There was a rawness in her voice. Were her eyes wet? She turned away, her fire and ice armor returning. “Don't play with me. I don't have time for it.”

Reaching out, I clasped her shoulder. She started to wrench away, but I held her firm. “Listen to me,” I said. “Whether you're right or not, what I said wasn't a lie. Making you jealous, making you ache for me and only me... I love it. I can't get enough of you.”

She went stiff, twisting to gawk up at me. Her pupils were glossy, darker than an undiscovered galaxy. She was seeing me, actually seeing me. If this moment could last, I'd stand among those racks of pressed jeans and soft shirts forever.

But it couldn't.

My life didn't mix well with romance.

Nix backed away, hesitating. Whatever she'd been about to say, she stopped herself. “The shirt,” she mumbled. “Let's go take care of that.”

Plucking at the front of the material, I smiled cynically. “Yeah. I guess that's what's important here.”

There was hurt in her eyes, I fucking saw it. But I couldn't call her out, I couldn't do anything. Nix considered me a player, and she hated everything that word stood for. Why was I letting myself get all torn up over her?

What the hell was I doing?

Trying to keep my lifestyle. I need her to want me for that to happen.

No. That wasn't true anymore. She'd agreed to marry me, and all I had to do was promise I wouldn't try and sleep with her.

That would be easy, I had plenty of other people who'd indulge me.

Why was I wasting air getting so flustered over this woman?

Nix walked beside me, her wallet tucking into her purse as we exited the store. The chaotic noise of the busy mall slammed into me. The air smelled like cinnamon and hot chocolate.

Through the chorus of sounds, I heard Nix's stomach rumble.

Peeking down at her, I scanned the mall. “Hey,” I said, pointing. “I'm starving, let's get some ice cream.”

She blinked, but her lips turned up into a smile. “Really? Ice cream in winter?”

“It's hot enough in here.”

The mood between us lightened. Nix nodded, leading the way. “That actually sounds really good.”

The line was short; people probably had the same thought Nix had about ice cream and the time of year. “I'll take a lemon cone,” I said, pulling out my wallet. “And give her whatever she wants.”

Her eyes sparkled. “Vanilla. In a cup, please.”

The clerk rang us up, handing the treats over. “That'll be five dollars.”

“Don't say I never spoiled you,” I chuckled at Nix.

The pearly shine of her teeth went ever brighter under the Christmas lights. “Oho, big spender.”

Carrying our snacks, I led her up the escalator until we found a far corner of the mall. The ceiling arched high above, ornaments dangling on gold chains and twinkling with their reds and silvers.

Sitting on the bench, I licked my ice cream. It was a burst of tartness on my tongue. “Man, that's good.”

“It's pretty amazing,” she sighed. “I love desserts. My mother hates that I love them, which makes me like them more.” Her smile was contagious. “Hey, I have something I wanted to ask you.”

“Shoot.” I nibbled the edge of the waffle cone.

“Your dad is having that Christmas party this weekend. Right?”

My back popped as I sat taller. “Wait, were you invited to that catastrophe?”

“Apparently. Is it going to be that terrible?”

Not once had I attended my father's company parties. But if Nix was going... “That depends. Will you be wearing something holiday themed, like a cocktail dress made of mistletoe?”

Her laugh was a shot of espresso into my nervous system. “If that's what it takes to salvage the party, I'll consider it. Are you... you know, going to be there?” Ducking her head, she stared intently into her ice cream.

“I might swing by.” Winking, I turned the cone in my hand. “Is that what you wanted to ask me? If I was going? Baby, you don't need to be so subtle, come right out and say you wanted me by your side.”

Chewing her bottom lip, she shifted on the bench. “Actually, I was going to ask if my brother could come.”

A drop of melted lemon hit my knee. “You have a brother?”

“Half-brother, but yeah. Gram works at Halloway Inc. You didn't meet him yet?”

My shrug was quick. “Huh. Older or younger than you?”

“Why does that matter?”

I reached over, dipping my finger into her ice cream, then licking it off. “I want to know if he's a puppy-dog younger brother, or the older type that will try to kick my ass when he hears that I hooked up with his sweet sister.”

She hit me in the shoulder. “That's none of his business, don't you dare tell him. He wouldn't hurt a fly, anyway.”

Grinning, I wiped my hand on my napkin. “What, you're saying he never chased off any guys when you were younger?”

“No.” She hesitated, turning the yellow spoon in her fingers. “He didn't have the chance. I didn't meet him until I was eighteen.”

“What?”

Staring into her cup, she stirred the vanilla slowly. Her voice was far away. “It was a huge shock when he showed up. Turns out Dad hadn't been so faithful. My mother went nuts. Attacked him, screamed, the whole works.”

Disgust bit deep into my heart. A father who betrayed his family? Yeah. I knew that story.

Nix was shrinking into the bench, knees tucking to her chest. She looked like she was trying to disappear. Reaching out, I cupped her knee—she twitched.

“It's alright,” I said gently.

Her face smoothed, as if I'd comforted her. “I don't know why I'm telling you this.”

“You don't have to.”