Page 165 of Surprisingly Us

“I’m sorry, love. I can’t believe he did that. I’m sure it had nothing to do with you. You’re gorgeous and kind, and caring and amazing. He’s an idiot. Plain and simple.”

She’s trying to make me feel better, but my brain is not convinced standing naked in front of a guy and having that guy run away from me as fast as he can has nothing to do with me. I rally my anger at the situation, it’s what seemed to work the night of his proposal.

“I don’t need that donkey dick anyways. I mean, why did the universe give the cockiest man alive a huge penis?” I ask.

“I think you answered your own question. Do you want me to come back to the city? It’ll be late, but I can come if you need me.”

“No, it’s okay. I think I’m going to rentCenter Stageand order an insane amount of room service on Rhys’s card while I wait for my wet clothes to be dried.”

“Aww, I love that movie and I’m not even a dancer.”

“It’s kind of ridiculous but the shoe preparation montage gets me every time.”

“I love you and I’ll call you tomorrow.”

“Okay. Love you, too.”

After I end the call with Hannah, I lie there for a few more minutes thinking about what I said.

I told Rhys my first time didn’t have to be special because I thought that’s what would put him at ease.

The truth is, with Rhys, my first time having sex would have been special.

Because it’shim.

I desperately wanted it to be him.

I left the hotel an hour ago.

After I warmed up, I called down to have my dress and undergarments cleaned, then watchedCenter Stagewhile I waited for them to be dried. I ordered an obnoxious amount of food from room service and charged it to Rhys’s credit card, but even that wasn’t satisfying. My two-hundred-dollar bill won’t even be a blip on his statement.

Then, I felt guilty for not eating all the food, so really the whole thing backfired.

The weather finally cleared, along with the traffic, so I took a cab home.

I’ve barely greeted Maxine, who is lounging on the luxury cat nap pad Rhys bought her last week, when my door buzzes.

I told Hannah not to come, and even if she had left right after we talked, she wouldn’t be here yet.

“Hello?” I answer, my voice soft, but wary.

“Lettie,” the deep husk of his voice has my stomach turning itself inside out, “it’s me.”

Rhys.

This is what I hate about the intercom system, I have to answer before I can find out who it is…there’s no option to pretend I’m not home once I’ve answered.

I’m quiet, not sure what to say. I knew we’d have to talk at some point; I didn’t expect it to be this soon.

I sigh into the speaker. “What do you want?”

“I need to talk to you.Please.”

My emotions are raw. And while that might be good for my dancing, right now, it sucks and my heart hurts and I don’t want to deal with any of this.

“Now’s not a good time.”

I release my finger from the keypad and wait for his response, but it’s quiet on the other end. When a minute ticks by, I wonder if he already left.

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