Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 98023 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 490(@200wpm)___ 392(@250wpm)___ 327(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98023 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 490(@200wpm)___ 392(@250wpm)___ 327(@300wpm)
Telling him what we had was nothing was a lie and a dirty trick. But if he thinks we can be together anymore without me hurting him again, I’ll need to keep my distance to make sure I don’t.
Even if it hurts me.
Blake
The sun has set, and the day has transformed into night, only the moon and stars residing in the sky. I’m sweaty and my legs feel like my shoes are carrying an extra ten pounds each as I stride into Lexi’s apartment building.
I’ve spent all day at football conditioning—running drills and doing agility training and suffering so much through full-field sprints in the summer heat that three guys on the team threw up their lunch. It’s been a fucking grueling day, and I know I should be at my apartment taking a hot shower and getting my ass into bed, because tomorrow will be much of the same.
But I can’t. Not after that text Lexi sent me this morning.
I haven’t stopped thinking about it, and if I’m honest, I’m angry about it. I have so many questions that are unanswered, and I won’t be able to sleep until I talk to her.
See her.
Try to figure out why she said, I think it’s time we both move on.
I don’t waste any time in the lobby, heading straight for the elevator, and it only takes a few minutes before I’m on her floor.
My heart races inside my chest as I lift my knuckles to rap against the wood of her door.
As footsteps sound on the other side, it only makes my heart pound faster.
The door swings open, and there she is, my beautiful Lexi Lou, standing on the other side. Her blond hair is up in one of her cute ponytails, and she’s already dressed for bed in her favorite sleep shorts and tank top.
She looks beautiful. But that’s no surprise. Lexi always looks beautiful.
“Blake?” she questions, and her nose scrunches up in confusion. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m here because of this.” I take my phone out of my pocket and pull up the last text she sent me. “Is this for real?”
Her head jerks back, and her eyes flit to the floor for a long moment, fixated on her bare feet.
“Lexi? What does this mean?”
She brings her gaze back up to mine. “Blake, it means exactly what I said. It’s time for us both to move on.”
“Move on?” I repeat her words—stupid words that I do not agree with. Words that feel so wrong when they leave my tongue, I can barely say them. “After everything, you just want to walk away?”
“We’re on different paths, Blake.”
“Who gives a shit about paths?” I counter. “We’ve spent this whole summer together while our paths aren’t exactly the same, and it was the best fucking summer I’ve ever had, Lex. We’re so good together. Why can’t you see that?”
“I know we have fun together,” she says. “But that doesn’t equal a relationship. It doesn’t equal a future.”
“We’ve had more than fun, and you know that,” I challenge. “More than just sex, Lexi. You know it. I love you, and if you’d let yourself, you love me back.”
She averts her eyes from me again, and I don’t hesitate to step forward and pull her into my arms. She goes willingly, melting against my body, and I hug her tightly to my chest, desperate to make her realize this love isn’t one-sided.
“I love you,” I tell her again. “I want to be with you. You’re the only girl I want to be with.”
I slip my hand under her chin and pull her gaze to mine. I search her eyes. They’re hesitant and unsure, and I press my lips to hers.
Our kiss is soft and slow at first, but eventually, she slides her hands up my back and into my hair. She feels so good and perfect in my arms, and I don’t ever want this moment to end. I want it to continue forever and fucking ever.
But in an instant, she pulls away, planting both of her hands on my chest and putting distance between us. “We can’t, Blake.” She shakes her head. “I’m sorry. But we can’t do this anymore.”
“Lexi—”
“No,” she cuts me off before I can say anything else. “I’m sorry. I don’t love you. I care about you, but I don’t love you. I don’t even know how to love.” Her eyes unfocus briefly before a quick shake of her head. “I’m sorry, Blake. This just isn’t going to work.”
Her words cut me open.
I don’t love you.
The pain is acute and damn near takes my breath away. It’s one thing for someone not to say “I love you” back, but it’s entirely another for them to say they don’t. It removes the excuse of omission completely.
“So, that’s it,” I mutter, my voice a scratchy version of its normal timbre. “You’re done. We’re done.”