Page 79 of Taming Her Temptations

I whip around, mouth already watering when I notice a shadow in front of me that wasn’t there a second ago.

I jump and let out a high-pitched shriek until brain catches up to my eyes. Standing in front of me isn’t an axe murderer or a ghost, but I would argue just as scary.

Levi Wilde.

Asher Moore.

Dean Marquez.

The three of them stand there, staring at me while I calm down. I hate that they look more handsome than I even remember. I notice that they’re dressed less preppy than when I was here, like somehow they’ve stopped trying to fit in with Greenfield. Dean wears a black t-shirt and a studded black leather belt. Levi has on a vintage band tee. And Asher is rocking a knitted collared shirt that looks expensive but chic. I also begrudgingly notice that Asher and Levi still have their pink piercings. I’m thankful Dean actually has his shirt on, so I can’t check for his.

I’ve imagined what I would say to them a thousand times if I ran into them.

“What the actual hell?” I say to them. “Are you trying to scare me?” Okay, seeing them again was much more eloquent in my head.

“Sorry!” Asher puts his hands up. “We just knew if we picked you up in L.A. or at the airport you’d refuse to come with us.”

“So you hid in a dark corner in my house and waited to ambush me?” I say, while unwrapping the French toast. I’m doing my best to pretend I don’t care.

“Ruby, we’re desperate at this point. We’ve left you a hundred voicemails and we will leave you one hundred more until you realize we’re sorry,” Levi says, stepping closer and placing his hands on the counter. “We went about everything the wrong way. You just scared the hell out of us.”

I take a deep breath. “I’m not sure what you want from me. You said I can’t be with you because I was with my ex for so long and I need to figure myself out. Well, do you know why that was a really shitty thing to say?”

“Because it took the choice away from you,” Dean says, as if he already knows the answer.

“No,” I shake my head at him. “That’s not even the worst part. Although that was pretty shitty too.”

I push the French toast away, losing my appetite suddenly.

“The worst part is that you made it seem like I had to be someone different to be enough for you. It felt like poison to my soul. Even though I got all the way to California, it felt like learning more about myself was some twisted attempt at being a more suitable partner for you.”

“Ruby, I’m so sorry. That was never what we intended.” Asher’s voice sounds desperate.

“No, you still don’t get it.” I straighten my shoulders. “I had to write you off. I had to tell myself that I will never be with you again. It’s the only way I could make my life feel like my own. And it worked.”

I stare down at the table. Dean’s hand grips the edge tightly, his knuckles white.

“Please,” Dean’s voice is a growl. “Just give us tonight.”

I breathe in deeply, trying to figure out how to get it through their heads that I can’t do this. Once I help pack this place up, I’m gone and only coming back to visit my family.

I start to shake my head.

Levi interjects. “Tell us you’re happier without us,” he says. “And if you can honestly tell us that, then we will leave you alone. But if you can’t, then please just give us one night. It’s all we’re asking of you.”

I think about the question. I have no intention of being anything other than completely honest with them. But the harder part is being honest with myself.

I’ve really worked hard telling myself that I don’t need them to make me happy. And sometimes it’s been true. I’ve had some really wonderful moment in Los Angeles, and I’m not sure I could have gotten so tight with Blaire if they were in my life. Hell, I didn’t have much time for anything when they were in my life.

But am I happier without them? When I’m truly honest with myself, the answer is pretty damn obvious.

“Okay.” I say, not missing their collective sigh of relief. “One night. But that’s all I’m agreeing to right now.”

They nod, trying to conceal their smiles.

“And I’m not doing anything until I eat this French toast.” I raise my finger at them.

“We’ll feed it to you bite by bite if you asked us to,” Dean’s sassy personality it back on full display.

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