Page 47 of Broken-Hearted

I walk over to him and thump on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. “I didn’t mean that. I’m confused.”

The mattress squeaks, but I keep my eyes resolutely pointed at the ceiling.

“About?” he asks.

When I peek over at him, he’s angled his head to face me, and he looks serious.

“You.”

“What have I done to confuse you?”

“I’m not sure.”

He studies me for a beat, then tucks a strand of hair behind my ear.

Sighing, I pat my hair down. “It looks like a squirrel was just living in my hair, huh?”

His smile is faint. “Close. An owl.”

I laugh. “That makes no sense.”

He studies me for a little longer. “How about we just see what happens?”

“This was supposed to be a onetime thing, Blackshaw,” I remind him.

“Yes, but some things are not one time things.” He traces my lip with one finger, a surprisingly ticklish sensation. I laugh and bat his hand aside. He smiles. “Maybe this is something else.”

Maybe.

Then he kisses me, which kills my desire to get out of bed. So instead of climbing out of it, I crawl over Nathan Blackshaw, grip my shirt and ease it over my head.

He licks his lips as he cups my breasts. “I had plans to romance you.”

My eyes pop. “Romanceme?”

“There are a couple of things I’m not confused about. Things that make perfect sense to me.”

“Like what?”

He eases me onto my back. “Things like we’re good together.” He kisses me. “So good, it makes sense we stay together.”

He leans in again. I press my palms on his chest, halting him. “And if I don’t want to be romanced? If I don’t think we’re good together.”

“Then I get up and walk out.”

I snort. “So I can nearly trip over you like I did back in Rosenwood?”

His expression is serious. “So tell me to go, and you won’t be tripping over me again, Clara.”

Silence lingers between us.

I still have my palms on his chest and I push him.

But not away. Because he’s right. Wearegood together. He makes me laugh. He makes me moan as if he knows exactly how to please me, and when I hurt him, it hurts me too.

I’ve had a taste of Nathan Blackshaw and I’m not sure I’m ready or even willing to let him go so soon.

I push him until I have him flat on his back, and I kiss him.

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