Page 38 of Resisting my Roommate

She gives me a small smile, then settles back into her seat, allowing another silence to fall between us as I drive along the mostly empty streets.

“My mom was really young when she had me,” she announces when I pull into the driveway of my townhouse and turn off the engine. “Only fifteen, so she always saw me as a mistake. I always felt like I was more of a burden than anything else. She loved to remind me of everything she missed out on because she was raising me.”

I form my hands into fists, my jaw ticking, hating she had to go through that. “That’s not on you.”

She nods, though I sense she doesn’t truly believe it. I wonder how long she’s been blaming herself for her parents’ actions. Probably her entire life.

“It got worse when she met this guy. He…” She pauses, fidgeting with her hands.

“He what?” I grind out, my muscles becoming even more tense. “Did he…hurt you?”

“Not like that. It never got that far.”

“Thatfar?” I shoot back incredulously, ready to demand she give me his address so I can hunt him down and give him a piece of my mind.

“He made me uncomfortable.”

“Did you go to your mom?”

“She didn’t want to hear it. Accused me of trying to ruin her life yet again. So instead of sending him away, she packed my bags and dropped me off at my dad’s. I haven’t heard from her since.”

A heavy silence hangs between us, the kind that feels like it could break something if I push too hard. I keep my eyes focused ahead, trying to process everything she just told me. Based on the few things she’s already shared, I sensed she’d been through some stuff, but this? This is a whole other level.

It makes me see her in a way I hadn’t before.

“You deserve better than that,” I say quietly, finally managing to get the words out.

Abbey’s piercing stare softens as she looks at me, an invisible tether pulling me closer to her, like a moth to a flame.

My heart rate picks up as my eyes trace over her plump pink lips. They look so soft and perfect, enticingly close to mine. What would it feel like to have them move against mine? To taste her sweetness? To hear her whimper my name?

I’ve imagined it more times than I care to admit, the idea of losing control with her consuming me more and more each day.

Maybe this is what I need so I can finally get her out of my system. Then I can go on without constantly being haunted by her.

But I have a feeling there’s no getting Abbey Rhodes out of my system. She’s the worst kind of danger, the kind that seeps into your heart and soul until you no longer remember what life was like before her.

“Want to go do something?” I blurt out, pulling away before I cross the line I swore I wouldn’t.

She blinks, obviously confused by the wide swing of my emotions.

So am I.

“Do something?” She furrows her brow.

“Why not? It’s still early.”

Plus, I sense Abbey could use a distraction right now.

Or maybeIcould use a distraction and, for reasons I don’t quite understand, I want to spend more time with her, just the two of us.

“Is there anywhere open this late on a Sunday?”

“A few places.” I crank the ignition once more.

“What did you have in mind?”

I put my truck in reverse and back out of the driveway. “You’ll see.”

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