Page 142 of Jesse's Girl

“Stop. Please.”

She steps back, the fight in her flaring like she’s a cornered animal. “You know what? Fuck you. You could have at least waited until after the wedding before going on the prowl—forcing me to witness that shit.”

“On the prowl?” I echo. “Who the fuck do you think you’re talking to? I’m not him, Ada.”

She bristles at my reference to her cheating ex. “No? Well, you sure seem to be in a hurry to find the next girl to fuck… and to rub it in my face.”

My brows pinch together. She can’t mean that. Can’t think I care that little for her. That I’d go hit on someone else right away—Naomi, of all people—right in front of her. Not after holding onto her shaking hand while she cried during the ceremony.

“What kind of callous asshole do you take me for? There’s nothing going on between me and Naomi. There never was, not really.”

Ada looks away, shaking her head.

“We were just talking,” I try to explain. The reality is, unlike years ago when I would have been thrilled to have Naomi’s hands on me, tonight I was repulsed—couldn’t wait to get away from her. “She was drunk and being inappropriate. I was telling her just that when you saw us.”

“Right.” Her sarcasm is palpable. “You know what, though? Who am I to get in your way? Go right ahead. This was just a summer fuck-buddy situation. Not a real relationship.”

My chest takes the blow, but I force some air back into my lungs. She’s only lashing out because she’s terrified and triggered.

“Y’know what?” she continues. “I’m not even supposed to care. This is…”—she gestures between us—“This was never a thing, and now whatever it was is over, anyway, so…”

“Look, I get you’re pissed at me, but you’re wrong.”

“Whatever.” She hugs her arms tight over her chest.

“Don’t give me that ‘whatever’ shit! I don’t want to fuck Naomi! Or anyone else, for that matter.” I drag my hands through my hair. “God fucking damnit, Ada! You’re the only…”

“What? Cat got your tongue?”

“Fucking hell,” I groan. “God, why do you always do this? Needle me the moment I so much as hesitate!”

She holds my gaze but snaps her mouth shut.

“You want me to talk about how I feel? Then stop fucking jumping down my throat about it.” I draw in a steadying breath. My voice is low and firm, but the calm I’ve managed to muster up is fragile at best. “I don’t wanna fuck anyone else. The only one I wanna fuck is you. The only one I wanna be with is you. The only one who drives me this fucking crazy is you!”

“Jesse… stop.”

“No.” I exhale hard. “This was never just sex. Not for me. I can’t leave tomorrow, letting you think you weren’t—you aren’t—more than that to me. If circumstances were different, we could be so much more.”

She sets her jaw. “Fuck you for dangling that in front of me.”

We both know Marcus isn’t going anywhere.

“Okay, I’m sorry,” I say. “But it’s just the truth. I know I’m gonna spend that entire flight tomorrow feeling like I have a sucking chest wound… But Ada, fuck… I can’t think about that right now. Not when you’re still right here. I’ve been trying to give you space all week, but I can’t do it anymore. This can’t be how we spend our last night together.”

“Don’t do this,” she says, her voice thin and distant.

“Do what?”

She comes closer, getting right in my face. “You don’t get to lay all these togethers and what ifs at my feet and then fuck off across the world the next day. What am I supposed to do with that? Huh?”

I wince at her words.

“What’s the point, Jesse? Just to make sure it really fucking hurts when you go? Rip my heart a new one and leave me bleeding out?”

The pain in her expression cuts into me like a knife. I tug at the choking restriction of my tie, loosening it. “Please, Ada. All I’m asking for is one last night. One more night with you. Please don’t push me away.”

“Jess.” She says my name on a shaking exhale.

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