Goodness. Why didn’t he just light a match directly to her Fruit of the Looms?

“Don’t say things like that,” Taylor pleaded.

“Why not? It’s true.”

“Because sex wasn’t part of the playbook.”

“Forget the playbook!” He ran both hands down his face, then up and around his head. “Are you going to stand there and tell me you’ve been faking this the entire time? Has it all been just an act?”

A simple yes would put an end to his interrogation. She could put this subject to bed right here, right now. But despite this ruse they’d been engaged in for the past month, lying never came easy to her.

“It doesn’t matter one way or the other,” Taylor insisted. “We’ve gone over all of the reasons why this can’t be anything more than what it is.”

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“Don’t do this,” she all but begged.

“No.” He closed the distance between them. “I’m not letting you off the hook this time. I want you to be honest with me. Am I the only one who’s feeling this?”

She closed her eyes. “Jamar.”

“Tell me, Taylor. Tell me.”

It was the fierce plea in his voice that wouldn’t allow her to deny him a second longer.

“No,” Taylor said. Her throat ached as she pushed out the word, a hoarse whisper heavy with implication.

She caught him by the forearms and gently but firmly pushed him back a few inches.

“I need to explain why this is so hard for me.” She opened her eyes and stared into his. “And don’t you judge me when I do.”

“When have I ever judged you? Other than for the vegetables you try to feed me.”

She managed to chuckle despite the tightness pulling at her throat.

“I know we’re technically not trainer and client anymore. And, honestly, the status of our working relationship shouldn’t even matter after weeks of the public believing we’re a couple. But the truth does still matter to me.”

She released another fortifying breath before continuing.

“Back when I was still in North Carolina, I moved from Fayetteville to Charlotte because I figured being in a larger city would help me to grow my business. It did. I picked up several regular clients very soon after I started Taylor’d Conditioning.” She cleared her throat. “One of those clients was pretty damn fine. Like, Michael B. Jordan fine.”

“That doesn’t impress me,” he deadpanned.