Caspian (Carolina Reapers 8)

“No,” he said, moving the box to the side of the register.

I glanced behind him, noting the other customers were happily engaged in some gossip—hopefully, not about me. It’d been two months since Chuck had dropped me in front of the ice cream shop, but somehow people were still talking about it.

“What else do you need?” I asked.

“I need you to agree to go to all of London’s events with me.” He said it deadpan, like there was no room for discussion.

I raised my brows at him and shook my head.

“You’re making this really hard on me, Ryleigh,” he said, his voice lifting through the store. “What’s it going to take? You want me to declare my intentions to the entire town?” He smiled, and I gaped at him, mortified at the eyes turning our way.

I flashed the customers a quick smile, then rounded the counter and grabbed Caspian’s arm. He let me tug him through the store and into the storage room. The place was packed with spare parts, broken goods, and a whole lot of two-by-fours.

“Look,” I said, spinning around to face Caspian. It was only then I realized how small the storage room was, or maybe it was just because Caspian was so big. I was on the taller side, but I still had to arch my neck to meet his playful gaze.

“Oh, I’m looking,” he said, his voice dripping tease as his eyes slid over my body. “And it looks like you want more from me than just a date. I mean, the storage room, Ryleigh?” He shrugged, scanning the room. “A bit snug, but I can make anything work.”

My mouth dropped for the second time in the last ten minutes, and then I laughed.

Like, full-on, belly laughed.

Because, God, this man. Could he be more arrogant?

I blinked a few times, shaking my head. “No,” I said. “That’s not why I pulled you back here.” He flashed me a beg-to-differ look, and I rolled my eyes. “Have you been away so long you forgot this town runs on gossip?” I asked, and he shook his head. “Look, I know you want to make your mom happy, but I can’t go with you.” I sucked in a sharp breath, something tightening in my chest. I didn’t really want to lay myself bare right here in the storage room, but if I had any chance of deterring the stubborn Caspian Foster, only the truth would do. “I know you think Chuck is a douche, but he’s not. He just got…confused. Scared. We’ve had plans for years to buy our dream house. We already put the massive deposit on the build. So, his lapse in judgment is just that. We will get back together.”

Caspian furrowed his brow, the first serious look I’d seen from him since he’d returned home. “You’re serious?” he asked, all tease gone from his voice.

“You’ve been gone a long time. Chuck isn’t the same kid from school knocking books out of underclassmans’ hands.”

Caspian grunted.

“He’s not,” I continued, then realized I didn’t have to justify a thing to him. “Anyway, I’m not here to play games. I appreciate your gesture and our mothers trying to help, but I’m going to get Chuck back.”

“Interesting,” he said, those eyes contemplative. “Well, from what I’ve heard, he hasn’t been paying attention to you, regardless if you want him back or not.”

“Okay, ouch.” I sighed. “You’ve been back all of two seconds, and you already know that?” Fucking hell this town.

“I didn’t say it to hurt you,” he said. “Like I said before, I’m only here to help, and when my mother asks me to do something, I do it.” A smile broke across his lips. “And I have a perfect solution for you.”

“Oh, really? What’s that? Make fun of me some more and call my ex a douche?”

“I deserve that,” he said. “If you say he’s not a douche, then he’s not a douche. But dumping you publicly sounds pretty douchey—” He cut himself off at my look. “Anyway, if there is one thing I know for certain, it’s that no man pays attention more or is more motivated than when he’s jealous.”

“Wait, what?” I asked, totally thrown off guard.

He shrugged. “It’s a primal, alpha thing that really hinders our way of thinking sometimes, but it works.”

“What are you saying?”

Caspian took a step toward me, and I gasped at just how damn big he was. That smirk deepened. “I’m saying we kill two birds with one stone. I make my mom happy and escort you to all of London’s events.”

“And the other bird?”

“You get Chuck back. If he even thinks we’re dating?” He laughed. “Dude will lose his shit. He’ll totally regret ever breaking up with you.”

I furrowed my brow. “You think you’re such a catch that that will happen?”

He glanced down at himself, and I couldn’t help but follow everywhere he indicated—the man was carved perfection with a personality to match. “Obviously.”