My stomach clenched. “Josie—”

“No,” she stated the word so strongly, so firmly that it caught my attention. Silenced me. “You’re going to listen to me, because I deserve that. Do you understand me?”

I totally understood that my dick was pressing against the zipper of my pants at a very inappropriate time. Jaw working, I nodded.

“At first, I didn’t understand. I was shocked, because I thought . . .” She swallowed hard before continuing. “It doesn’t matter what I thought, and I want to get one thing straight. I’m not telling you any of this because I expect pity or any real explanation. I’m telling you this because we’re going to have to work together. We’re going to be seeing each other around, and I don’t want to worry about things being weird and awkward.”

“Okay.”

Her eyes flashed. “And we need to establish some boundaries—rules about what you can and cannot do with me and how you will speak to me.”

My brows inched up my forehead, but I kept my mouth shut, because the hard glint to her eyes told me she sort of wanted to cut me.

“All right?” When I nodded, she exhaled roughly. “I know you’re still . . . um, hung up on Alex.”

I stared at her a moment, unsure if I’d really heard her correctly. Okay. I did hear her right. Maybe she was joking. Based on the seriousness with which she delivered it, I was going to go with the fact she was being serious.

She lowered her gaze as she twisted her hands together. “I mean, obviously you’re still attracted to other people. Duh, but I get that what runs deeper is reserved for her.”

“Wait. What?” I said, snapping out of it.

She moved back and sat on the edge of the chair. “I mean, it totally makes sense now, and I feel like an idiot for not seeing it before. I get that you’re in . . . in love with her and—”

I laughed. I couldn’t help it. Holy shit.

Her eyes narrowed. “I don’t think this is funny.”

“It kind of is, trust me.”

“No, it’s not.” She popped to her feet, and at her sides her hands balled. “You can stand there and laugh, because you’re either a jerk-face or in complete denial, but I saw the way you looked at her—”

“The way I looked at her?” Incredulous, I stared at her.

“When she first showed up on the quad, you stared at her like you—you never expected to see her again.”

“Because I really was hoping not to,” I admitted, brows furrowing.

“I totally understand that. I mean, trust me, I get it.” Her arms folded across her stomach. “Seeing someone you want and can’t have—”