The Playboy's Crush By Deborah A. Olaleye

SEVENTEEN

Lara felt an ache settle in her head as she stood in a triangle formed by the three.

"Excuse me," she said, and she walked away quickly from the trio. She heard retreating steps in various directions behind her, but she knew without being told who it was that was on her trail.

"You mind telling me where you are heading to?"

"Anywhere away from the three of you. We promised to stay off each other's radar at work, remember?"
she said over her shoulders, increasing her pace, but there was little pace she could keep on heels.

He covered the distance between them in a matter of seconds and pulled her to face him.

He kept an arm around her waist to steady her as her legs rocked sideways on her heels from the abrupt pull.

Lara jerked back from his touch, hissing at him. "What if someone sees us?"

Shane tsked. "You are bothered about anyone spotting me bracing your fall and not about the epic confession you've received earlier." He seethed the last words through his teeth.

Lara's lips twitched.

"I thought you two were just friends."

"We're not having this conversation here, Shane."

"Of course we aren't. We are at work. We meet after work, and you tell me exactly what the deal is you have going on with my staff."

"Pardon me? Your staff?" Her lips parted intermittently as the weight of his words hit her hard. The ache in her heart at his words and the ache in her belly from being starved all day sent dizzy spells washing over her face.

Lara retreated a step.

"Lara, that came out wrong."

"It was exactly what you meant, Shane. I have neither the qualifications nor the eligibility for this position, I assume, but..." She huffed a breath. "I get it." She turned her back on him, half-running and half-walking away from him.

"Lara, that wasn't what I meant to say. Please." Shane called after her, extending his hand to stop her.

"Stay away from me!" Lara barked at him, her eyes clouded with tears.

"La.." Shane stopped, anguish piercing sharply through his heart as he saw the stain of tears on her face. "Lara, please."

"Please, Shane. I've had enough drama for the day. I need to breathe. I need to be anywhere. Away from you, please," she told him.

He nodded slowly in acquiescence. "I'm sorry."

"No, I am. It's all clear to me now what I am really to you."

"That's not what I meant, Lara!" Shane groaned.

Lara advanced on him. "Then, tell me what it is you meant by that word." She bellowed back at him.

"Your staff? What have I been doing with your staff? How..." Her shoulders sagged as she looked at him, lost for words to describe the emotions overwhelming her at the moment.

"You are taking this all wrong, Lara. You are an exclusive, Lara." He leaned closer to her and dropped the pitch of his voice so that only she could hear it. "You are the woman I love, Lara. So of course, I'm jealous as well as mad that that boy had the audacity to confess he loves you in my presence. Fuck! He's in my employ, and he's asking out my woman." Shane swallowed to keep his voice down, as it had risen to a pitch from annoyance.

Lara's lips parted wordlessly as she looked at him. "I didn't realize that was what you meant," she said softly, her eyelashes fluttering.

Shane leaned back. "We are reversing roles here. I should be mad, not you. Technically, I caught you cheating on me."