I will NOT react.

Shaking off the lightheadedness he induced, I snap myself out of it. With Aleck, I always have to remember who I am. He’s good at what he does, but my self-respect is a fortress.

Thank you, ex-boyfriend Brian.

“Aleck, I say this with every fiber in my being, everything about you turns me off. Your attitude, your personality, the way you carry yourself. I don’t think the whole rich-boy, enabled by his parents, wouldn’t recognize hardship if it reached down and stuck its thumb up his ass because he’s never come close to experiencing it vibe you’ve got going on is attractive. This thing you do…” I wave my hand over his body from head to toe. “This whole everything I do is dripping with sex vibe grosses me out.”

Aleck’s eyes narrow, locking with mine, his jaw muscles clenching with anger. He leans down, and his hot breath tickles the shell of my ear, forcing a violent shudder to roll through me.

“You don’t know dick about me, Grimm. And you certainly don’t know dick about my parents.”

I turn my head, my lips almost touching his, taken aback by the affliction in his tone. I open my mouth, pushing myself to speak. To say what? I don’t know. But I obviously hit a nerve.

Is he mad or sad at what I’ve said?

No, Aleck Fox doesn’t get sad, I’m sure of that. I thought he’d laugh it off like he usually does and use what I’ve said as fuel to come back and hit harder.

But not this time.

Aleck pulls away from me, taking my breath with him, and turns his back. “I’ll be ready in twenty minutes,” he rasps over his shoulder.

Then he’s gone.

I stand rattled in my spot for a minute, maybe two, going over what just happened.

Aleck Fox has been trying to get under my skin since we met. He went to war with me. He started this game. He deserves everything I just said to him. Because although I probably shouldn’t have insulted his parents, I’m most likely right about them and everything else I said. That’s why he got pissed.

It’s decided. I don’t care. Aleck had it coming, and his bruised male ego is not my business, nor my concern.

Don’t like the heat, Fox? Don’t light the fire.

I walk over to my nightstand and grab my phone to dial Sondra. It’s time to check in on my best friend.

“Hey girlfriend,” she answers.

“Hi. How are you?”

“Peachy. I can’t talk for long. Preston and I are headed to the mortuary to pick out Edith’s casket in a few minutes.”

“Yikes. Sondra, I am so sorry this has happened right before your wedding.”

“It’s okay. Honestly, I feel worse for Preston. I would marry him at the courthouse if he was okay with it. And my mom is driving me nuts! She doesn’t understand why I’m not throwing an extraordinary amount of money at this wedding and hiring people to do everything for me. I just hate the whole giant, dripping-with-daddy’s-money weddings. I don’t judge them, but I don’t want one. You understand, Win, don’t you?”