“What are you doing?” I whispered.
His eyes darted around my face and I hated to think what he saw there. “I need to talk to you.”
“Well, I have nothing to say to you. Go away.”
I tried to close the door in his face, but he’d positioned his boot in the way so it wouldn’t shut. “You don’t have to say anything, I just need you to listen.”
“I don’t want to hear anything you have to say.”
“Callie. Please. Give me five minutes, and I promise, if you still want me to go away, I will. I’ll leave you alone forever if that’s what you want.”
Was that what I wanted?
I’d thought it was, but now hearing the promise of never seeing him again, never talking to him again said out loud, I wasn’t so sure.
I heard rustling from down the hall which sent my blood pressure soaring. I grabbed Wyatt by the arm and dragged him into my room before closing the door as quietly as possible. My forehead thudded against the door as I tried to get my bearings. When I thought I had myself under control, I turned around to face Wyatt.
His eyes traced my face again as his slowly fell. “You’ve been crying.”
It wasn’t a question, and I refused to answer anyway. I sniffed and looked away, fisting my hands in the hopes they’d stop shaking.
Wyatt sighed loudly and took a step closer. “Is it because of me?”
I ignored that question too and kept my eyes on my closet doors, wondering if I hid myself behind them if he’d just leave.
“Callie, please look at me.”
I shook my head and whispered, “No.”
He took another step closer and I shuffled backward, but I was out of room. My heart ached as it raced in my chest and I did my best to slow my breathing, but that was almost impossible with him so close.
Why did I think I could do this? Why did I think I could handle being so close to him again? It didn’t matter that he hurt me. It didn’t matter that my brain wanted nothing to do with him because my heart and body fully disagreed. They didn’t care about all the times he’d turned his back on me, they just wanted him in any way they could get him.
He took the last step that separated us and reached up to stroke my cheek. I closed my eyes and grit my teeth until he removed his hand.
“You’re still crying,” he said softly.
I opened my eyes to see his finger was wet from my tears. I sniffed and turned away again. “Is that all you have to say?”
He blew out a deep breath, his leather scent enveloping me for a moment. “No. I came to say I’m sorry. About everything. I let my bullshit get in the way and in the process, I hurt you. I didn’t realize how badly until you ran off after we… you know.”
Boy, did I know.
“I wanted to make sure you were okay. That we didn’t do anything you didn’t want to do…” He trailed off and got quiet for a moment before continuing. “Callie, if I hurt you…” He seemed lost for words again as I waited to see what he’d say next. “I’d never be able to forgive myself,” he finally finished.
I shook my head, eyes still turned away from him. “We didn’t.”
He was quiet for a moment. “We didn’t what?”
I blew out a deep breath and glanced at him quickly. “We didn’t do anything I didn’t want at the time.”
The silence stretched between us, growing and morphing until it felt deafening. Finally, he broke it. “Then I don’t get it. Why’d you run away from me?”
The hurt and anger swirled together, forming a toxic cocktail inside me. I clenched my hands into fists and turned to him, careful to avoid his gaze. “I ran because it was a huge mistake,” I spat. “I ran because I was mad at myself for letting you get that close to me. I ran because I never should have slept with you, knowing what you’re like.”
“What I’m like? What the hell does that mean?”
I threw my hands in the air, my blood boiling in my veins. “What does that mean?! It means you’ve been giving me the runaround since day one. I’ve given you chance after chance, and every single time, you’ve let me down. You’ve run away from me. You’ve turned me away. And I still had sex with you. I still let myself be vulnerable with you. I was stupid enough to make that mistake once, but I’ve learned now. And that’s why I haven’t been talking to you. That’s why I still don’t want to talk to you. And that’s why I want you to get out of my room and leave me alone.”
My chest heaved with my labored breaths as I watched his mouth turn down with a frown. I’d thought my speech would send him running like usual, but he stayed where he was. I didn’t know if that was a good thing or not.
Because despite everything, I still wanted him.
I still cared about him.
I still loved him.
Which only made me angrier.
“I can’t do that, Callie.”
“Can’t do what?” I spat.
“I can’t stop talking to you. I can’t walk away right now. I can’t just leave you alone.”
“Why the heck not?!”
He ducked his head until he caught my eyes in his gaze. I resisted as best I could, but it didn’t make a difference. That connection to him was still there and as strong as ever. It seemed like nothing could stop it. Not time or distance, or anger, or resentment. The world stopped just for us every time our eyes met, no matter what.
“Because I’m in
