Page 35 of Wanted

Without warning, he leaned in as if he was going to kiss me. Mybody was rigid, my mind warring between allowing him to consume me and slappinghim across the face. Thankfully, neither of those scenarios happened. As he waseffectively pinning me against the car, a thought raced through my head. Yes, Istill loved him, but did I believe he still loved me? How could someone dismissanother from their life so easily if they were, in fact, in love?It’s not possible.No, he stilldesiredme; that much was true. Butlove? He didn’t love me. And once the acknowledgmentsank in, I found the strength I needed to push him away from me.

Once my hands found their way to his chest, he looked like he’d beenshocked.A shudder vibrated through hisbody as his breath caught in his throat. I found my opportunity, pushed himback a step and escaped his emotionally torturous imprisonment. “I won’t dothis to myself again, Alek,” I yelled over my shoulder as I rushed towardAlexa.

“Sara, please. I promiseI’ll make it up to you. I’m sorry!” he shouted as the distance separated usfrom each other.

I made sure not to make eye contact with him as we passed in thecar. He was still standing on the sidewalk, but I wouldn’t allow any morevulnerability to corrupt me.

My body ached for his touch.

But my brain told me I did the right thing. Breaking away fromhim was the only way the rest of my fragile heart could heal.

Finally.

~22~

Sara

“I don’t want to talkabout it, Lex. Please…let it go. I know you’re worried about me, but it’sbetter if I work on forgetting.” I was trying to busy myself with folding my laundry,but she was making it near impossible, standing in my bedroom in full-oninterrogation mode.

“Sara, it’s been a week since you saw him and you haven’t said asingle thing about it. I’m thankful you’re not sitting here crying over him, butit’s kind of freaking me out you don’t want to say anything at all about whathappened. Don’t you need some kind of closure or something?”

“Thatwasmy closure. Itwas my final goodbye to the man who both saved and destroyed me. He made mefeel again after so long, but he also tore my heart out after he had his fill,tossing me aside once he had no more use for me.” My mind instantly revertedback to the night I showed up at his house and caught him withher.

“Well, I’m here if you need me,” she offered, picking up one ofmy shirts, making a face and tossing it back on my bed. Good ol’ Lex. She mademe laugh right then, and it was something I definitely needed.

I walked toward my dresser to put some of my clothes away. Reachingfor her hand, I drew her close to me and gave her a big hug. “Thanks forworrying about me. Love you.”

“Love you, too, girl.” She walked across the room and was awkwardlyquiet. At first, I wasn’t paying much attention to her but when she simplystood there staring at me, it became a little weird.

“Are you okay? Did you want to talk about something else?” Iprodded before heading into my closet to hang some of my shirts.

“Remember you love me,” she teased.

Oh, Lord.

“What did you do?” Before I let her answer, I spouted, “Youbetter not have been in contact with him, or so help me, God, AlexaBearnheart.”

“Who are you talking about?”

“Alek,” I gritted through clenched teeth.

There was no hesitation on her part. “Fuck no. I learned mylesson the last time. I told you I would always take your side, no matter what.Fool me once…” she chanted.

“Then what is it you have to tell me?”

“Um…nothing big. Just…uh…” She stumbled over her words, which wasso unlike her.

“Spit it out, Lex.”

And spit it out she did, all in one quick breath. “Braden is bringinga colleague of his to the restaurant opening on Saturday night.”

“What?” It took me a minute to try and figure out why she wouldbe so nervous, and then it dawned on me. “I hope you guys are not setting me upon a blind date.” When she averted her eyes, looking anywhere and everywherebut at my stunned face, I knew it was true. Sure, I admitted closing theAlekchapter of my life, but I was in noway ready to date anyone else. Not for a very long time to come.

When she still didn’t speak, I made sure to crowd her personalspace, forcing her to give me an answer. “Is it a blind date, Alexa?”

“Yes.” One simple word, but one I didn’t want to hear.

“Does this guy know it’s a blind date?”

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