Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 107667 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107667 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
My chest aches, his pain visible on his beautiful face. “I thought it was a one-time thing.”
“Bullshit,” he says, shaking his head. He moves, leaning on his elbows, his clasped hands beneath his jaw. He may be trying to portray innocence, but I know way better.
There is nothing innocent about D’Artagnan Miklas.
“The texts I sent after that told you otherwise.”
I don’t dare look away. “I never thought I’d see you again.”
“Bullshit again,” he throws at me, his eyes wild and gorgeous storm clouds. “I was ready to fly to wherever the hell you were, just for a day, a night, a second with you.”
My breath catches at the intensity in his words. I look down, running my fingers along the top of my lemonade.
“Did I make up what happened in that room, Tennessee? Because, for me,” he says, leaning in farther, his face so close, all I have to do is move just an inch toward him and our lips would meet, “it was the best night of my life. Nothing could compare to what happened between us.”
My eyes briefly drift shut, and his ragged breath sends chills down my spine. “No, D’Artagnan, you didn’t make that up.”
“Then why? Tell me,” he demands, and I open my eyes.
My voice is almost a whisper. “You have to understand, I have never done anything like that before.”
“Okay? And? You did it great, in my opinion.”
His words are like a drug. “It was easy. With you.”
“Exactly, so why the fuck did you ghost me?”
I swallow thickly, the guilt eating me alive. “I was scared,” I admit. “And insecure.”
“Come on, Tennessee. Don’t try to sell that to me, because I’m not buying it.”
I hold his gaze. “I spent the night having my best friend put me down, tell me that I should just accept bad sex with a kind guy because it’s all I could ever get. Because I’m not thin enough to have anyone better.”
The snarl that surrounds me has my eyes widening. “Your body is perfect, Tennessee.”
“I know,” I say, stronger than I expected. “But she was in my head, and then you happened, and I felt things I never have before. I didn’t know how to process what I was feeling. I was moving, I had just cut off my best friends, and I wasn’t talking to my mom. I didn’t really think you wanted anything more with me than a one-night thing.”
“That’s trash,” he says, shaking his head. “I kept texting you, but nothing came from you.”
“Because you scare me.” His eyes darken. “One night, D’Artagnan. One. And I was completely taken with you.”
He nods thoughtfully. “Was, huh?”
I press my lips together, my heart jackhammering in my chest at the way his eyes hold mine. “I’m pretty sure my actions have shown that nothing has changed. I am still taken by you.”
“Yet you ghosted me.”
“Because I can’t do the distance with you.”
His eyes narrow, those blue depths like a dangerous, wild ocean. “But you can do distance with that asshat you told me you’re involved with?” he asks, so much bite in his words.
“It’s different. He’s moving here.”
“And I’m here.”
I sigh. “I am well aware that you’re here, Dart. I feel you everywhere.”
His lips tip up at that, and my stomach clenches. “How long have you been with him?” he asks, though I don’t think he wants to.
“I’ve known him for three months, but we’ve only been together for a month,” I admit, unable to look at him when I speak of Troy. The guilt is too great and makes my skin prickle.
“Have you slept with him?” he demands, and my gaze whips to his, gawking at him.
“That is none of your damn business.”
“Is it not?” His eyes are challenging, and I give it right on back.
“Have you been sleeping around? ’Cause like you said earlier, three months is a long time.”
His eyes darken. “Yes, because I’m trying to forget you!”
I don’t know why those words hurt since I’ve been trying to do the same. “Well, I’m doing what you do when you’re in a relationship, and sex is included in that.”
His eyes burn with fury. “I wouldn’t know anything about that since the person I wanted to have a relationship with ghosted my ass.”
I look away, and then I hear the chair groan against the floor before his knees are touching mine, squeezing my leg between his. My gaze slams into his, and his mouth is right there. For the taking. But I hold back. “I bet he doesn’t even make you come as well as I do,” he accuses, his eyes wicked. “I bet you think of me when you’re with him because, Tennessee, that’s all I’ve done since the moment I walked away from you. I tried—fuck, I tried to wait for you. But when I realized you didn’t want me, I attempted to find pleasure somewhere else, but I couldn’t—unless I was thinking of you.”