Page 4 of My Fake Boyfrenemy

Thankfully, Thursdays tend to be quiet mornings, and Marnus and I work great together. I wave off the departing guests, wishing them a safe flight, right as the sweet aroma of coffee fills my nostrils.

Marnus hands me a mug. "Here you go, Grumpy Ass."

"Thanks, Dick For Brains." I take it from him, purposefully making our fingers touch because if I can't have this man how I want him, I can at least get in some incidental finger touching whenever I can. Which isn't desperate and pathetic. At. All.

"Wow." Marnus chuckles, cruising over to his side of the counter. "That's your third cup and you're still acting like a grade-A douchebag. Correction. You're stillbeingyour usual grade-A douchebag."

I lower the cup onto the counter and smirk. "You wouldn't want me any other way."

The foyer at Elysian is this beautiful, open-plan space with massive windows allowing the sunlight to stream through. A ray of light is beaming down at Marnus, making his half-green, half-brown eyes glitter so beautifully. "You're right. I wouldn't. I love you just the way you are."

He winks playfully and then turns to greet two guests approaching the counter. "Good morning. How can I help you?"

Meanwhile… I'm left spinning. I need reinforcements to help me process what he just said, so I gulp down some more coffee in an attempt to quell the shivers Marnus's words have shot up my spine.

I'm sure he meant it in a jokey, lighthearted way—I love you just the way you are—but still… I wish it were true, that we even had a chance to make it work.

But the sad fact is, we don't.

Until Marnus started working at Elysian half a year ago, I didn't think I was even ready for a relationship. My ex, Reece, fucked with my head and left me pretty damaged. A year later, I haven't entirely dealt with the fallout. I'm still hurt and confused. So, so confused.

But then I met Marnus and we clicked straight away, falling into this super weird, super easy friendship that no one else gets. It's like our own private universe.

We tease and joke around mercilessly and most people around here think we hate each other's guts, but that couldn't be further from the truth.

The truth is, I'm in love with Marnus.

But it's a dead end.

He's straight, and there's no way in hell I'm jeopardizing what we have.

So whenever we get too close, whenever things get too good with us, I retreat. I create space between us not because I want to be a dick, but because it's the only way I can keep a lid on my feelings.

I push out a heavy breath and bring up today's incoming arrivals on the computer, needing the distraction. Work always makes me feel good, and there's nothing like a fresh intake of excited new arrivals to get my blood pumping.

Except…

Oh shit.

No.No, no, no!

"Fucking hell."

"What is it?" Marnus has finished with the guests and strides over to me.

"Guess who's staying in the honeymoon suite?" I ask.

"No idea."

I shake my head in disbelief. This cannot be happening.

Marnus places a hand on my shoulder. "What is it?"

I grind the heel of my palm against my eye. "It's my fucking ex. Reece."

3

Marnus