Chapter 18 ) ) 71 ET 55 vouchers Later that afternoon , Regina left with a satisfied smirk and a reminder to " hydrate for future tension , " whatever that meant . Honestly , that woman gave off retired spy energy . Like she knew what I dreamt last night and what Steven was secretly thinking . ( Probably about the banana again . Or my lips . Or both . ) The penthouse went quiet after she left , except for the soft jazz playing from the speakers that the butler probably turned on just to cover the awkward silence between me and the Brooding Exhibit A across the room . Steven was pretending to scroll through emails on his tablet like his life depended on it . I , on the other hand , sat on the couch dramatically with my second leche flan of the day ( thank you , Filipino takeout gods ) , trying not to look like I was reliving the words " Olive and Orion " on loop . I peeked at him . He peeked at me . We were doing that awkward high school hallway thing again , except with a million - dollar sofa between us and decades of sarcasm on both sides . " Okay ," I said , finally breaking the silence . " Are you going to keep pretending you're not thinking about what your mother said ? " He didn't even blink . " Nope . I've erased her entire visit from my memory ." " Oh really ? " I raised a brow . " So the part where she said I was glowing and you looked like you were one inappropriate yoga pose away from confessing your love - that didn't stick ? " He coughed . " She said that ? " " Oh , she muttered it to her rosé . I have sharp ears ." He turned toward me slowly , eyes narrowing in that dangerously sexy , billionaire - poster - boy way . " So what if I was thinking about it ? " I blinked , " Oh , no . We're not doing this now . " He smirked . " Doing what ? " " This ! The confession - but - not - a - confession part where we make things complicated and ruin the vibe ." " Oh , you mean the vibe where you landed on me lips - first , called it teleportation , and then walked out of the room like I caught feelings ? " 11:30 Thu , Sep 18 Chapter 18 : I blinked again . " Well , did you ? " He blinked . I blinked . :. 71 E55 55 vouchers We were two idiots blinking in a $ 40 million penthouse like we were filming a dramatic telenovela reboot . Steven rolled closer , casually , like it was just another Tuesday and not the moment my heartbeat decided to attempt parkour . " I might have ," he said , voice low , quiet , cocky . " Caught something . " I tried to act unaffected . " Well , I hope it's not contagious . I have PT gloves . " " Too late . " Oh damn . My cheeks went red . Rude . He chuckled . I stood up quickly . " Okay ! No more banana metaphors . No more teleportation jokes . We are strictly PT and steak business from now on , got it ? " Steven smirked wider . " Sure . Just PT . With extra tension ." I marched off to the kitchen , flustered and blushing and fuming in my overpriced Dior hoodie , while behind me , I heard him whisper just loud enough for me to catch : " Olive and Orion , huh ? " OH . HE . DID . NOT I threw a throw pillow at him . He caught it midair like a smug superhero . And just like that , the war was back on . But this time ... with flirting involved . Heaven help me . And my poor , sass - defenseless heart . 11:30 Thu , Sep 18 Chapter 18 71 55 vouchers A week passed . A full seven days of " this - is - not - flirting " PT sessions , meaningful glances over protein shakes , and daily bickering that sounded suspiciously like foreplay . I was almost convinced we were settling into a comfortable routine of unresolved tension and sexual denial , until ... Knock . Knock . Cue doom . I was in the kitchen - oversized white T - shirt , yoga pants , no bra , hair in a bun so messy it looked like it had survived a storm and a blackout . Holding a bowl of mangoes like it was my baby . Then came the knock again . Sharp . Polished . With a kind of arrogance only three people on Earth could possess . I opened the door . And immediately wished I hadn't . There she stood . Luciana Vane . Singer . Supermodel . British screen goddess . Former fiancée of my Steven . ( Not mine . Not mine . Why did I say that ? ) Tall . Glowing . Hair like royalty . Skin airbrushed by the heavens . Dress so tight it could've been painted on with Swarovski glue . And me ? A gremlin in loungewear . Her lips curled . That fake , high - society smile they give when they've already decided you're poor and irrelevant . She scanned me up and down like I was the help who spilled coffee on her diamond - encrusted purse . " Oh , " she said in that fake - posh accent . " And you are ? " I blinked . My mango bowl clenched tighter in my hands . Before I could sass appropriately , Steven rolled in from the hallway - his brows a thunderstorm , his arms tense on the wheels of his chair like he was about to run her over for sport . " What the hell are you doing here , Luciana ? " Ah . First - name - basis fury . Spicy . Luciana's gaze didn't even flinch . " Stevie , " she purred . ( Stevie ?! ) " Darling , it's been too long . I was in the city for a shoot and thought ... why not visit my favorite man ? " I snorted . Audibly . 11:30 Thu , Sep 18 Chapter 18 ... Luciana glanced back at me , eyebrow twitching . " Something funny , assistant ? " : ( 71 55 vouchers " PT , " I corrected , licking my spoon and dragging it out dramatically . " Live - in private therapist . For the legs . And attitude . You should try it sometime ." Steven coughed . Possibly from holding back laughter . Possibly from trying not to throw a mango . Luciana's smile dropped a degree . " Oh . So you're the one helping him with his ... condition ." She emphasized that last word like it had three STD letters attached to it . I glared . " His condition's improving . Unlike your personality . " Her jaw twitched . I was about to go for Round Two when I remembered the rumors . The ones plastered in celebrity gossip blogs . " McLeon's Bedroom Nightmare - Luciana Ends Engagement Over Performance Problems ! " " McLeon Can't Drive ... or Perform ? Sources Say Yes ." Steven never commented . Never denied . Never played the victim . But now , she was here . Full hair , full makeup , full fake sympathy - clearly hoping he'd forget how she humiliated him and welcome her back with open abs . Not . Today . Steven's voice dropped low . Lethal . " Say what you came to say , Luciana . Or leave . " She blinked , visibly shaken . " I just ... wanted to see how you were doing ." " You read the blogs . You thought I was broken . Thought I'd beg . Now you see I'm doing just fine and you want back in ? " His jaw clenched . " Not happening ." Silence . Luciana looked at me . Then back at him . " This ... thing with her ... is temporary , I assume ? " And with that , she stormed off - heels clicking like angry crickets on marble . Steven exhaled like he'd been holding his breath for a year . I turned to him . " Well , that was fun . Want mango ? " 71 55 vouchers He shook his head , then gave me that look . The one that made my toes curl in socks I bought secondhand . " You always like that when you're jealous ? " he asked . I gasped . " Jealous ? Please . She looked like she walked out of a shampoo ad and straight into a personality void . " He laughed . Hard . And just like that ... the mango bowl wasn't the only thing warm and sweet in the room . Game on , McLeon . Game . On . AD