Page 73 of Breaking Away

She swallows. “No se—” She stammers the word. “No sex. Ever.”

“Again. No shit, Basra.”

“We almost went there once. In the club.”

“It won’t happen again.”

“Good,” she mumbles.

“Great. We understand each other.”

I don’t want a relationship. Not when this year is the most important one in my career, especially with this knee. My future is at risk. I’m also the one holding my dad’s sobriety up.

There are so many reasons I need to get up and walk away.

But I can’t move.

I’m thinking, a few weeks can’t kill me. I can survive it.

At the very least, I won’t have to drop everything to fly to another city when I think she’s in trouble. If she figures out her life in front of me, I can send her away, easing this latent, miserable conscience that’s only now kicked itself awake. The conscience that can’t tolerate “homeless” and “Kavi Basra” in the same sentence.

“We’ll be strangers,” I reiterate, my voice hardening. “Barely roommates.”

“Good. I’ve had enough of hockey players and their stupid lies. It’s time to focus on me and what I need.”

My arm bands around her legs. Ignoring her shriek, I lift and deposit her further away from me. She needs to be out of reach at all times.

“Why do you really want me to live with you?” she asks, shuffling even further until her back hits the cushion. “How much do you really hate Tyler?”

“I hate everything about him, Basra.”

“Isn’t this taking it too far?” she asks weakly.

“Do you care? If he’s kicking you out of here—” That fuckhead. “He’s trying to give you no options.” I catch her foot as she tries soft-kicking me again. “Prove to him you have options. Wasn’t that the whole point?”

Kavi scrambles off the sofa, gesturing around. “What about my stuff?”

“Put it in storage. I’ll pay for it.”

She hisses. “I would pay for it. Along with what else I owe you. In installments, but enough to cover my way for staying at yours.”

“Sure. I’ll add it to the tab.”

The one I’m not keeping.

She glances furtively around, eyes landing on the camera sitting separately on a side table. It’s the only place in her apartment with no clutter around it. “I… I can’t believe I’m entertaining this, but maybe? Though I wouldn’t be able to leave right away. I have photography gigs booked for tomorrow and the next day. I have to finish those up.”

What about photography do you love?I almost ask, but don’t.

That’s relationship territory. Whatever is happening between us is a favor. A way to make sure she doesn’t go back to that cheating prick because she’s backed into a corner.

My good fucking deed for the year.

Call it charity.

“That’s fine.” I stand up. “I’ve got a flight to catch. I need to leave.”

She walks me to the door. Before I leave, she grabs my arm. “Are you… sure? Like really sure? Because what if I actually do say yes?”

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