Page 36 of Hold My Heart

She huffed. “I’m sorry. I just don’t want to do this anymore.”

He had a moment’s attack of guilt for wanting to press her when she looked delicate enough to shatter. Right now, staring at him, she didn’t look as though she had the willpower to stand up on her own.

“What you’re saying,” he clarified, a sliver of cold creeping into his gut and freezing him from the inside, “is that you don’t want to be with me.”

Slowly, she nodded. “You’re right. I don’t want to be with you.”

Chapter 9

Her words were worsethan a slap. Worse than a punch in the gut or a kick between his legs. Worse than any kind of pain she could inflict on his body. He physically recoiled from her, his arms shifting to cross his chest. As though it might offer some kind of protection.

“I’m sorry you feel that way. I wish you would have told me this before we slept together,” he said slowly.

“I’m sorry, too. I didn’t mean for it to come out so rudely.” Her answer was accompanied by an absent shrug.

“No, don’t. I can’t take you apologizing to me. I’m going to get my coat and go.”

She refused to look at him, keeping her face downturned and away from him. “I think that’s best.”

Another slap. Harlan sighed, rubbing his temples. “I’ll come back in the morning when you’re in a better mood.”

“Are you sure you’ll be okay to work here?” she said. “I mean—”

“No,” he interrupted. “You don’t get to tell me that I’m fired. Or that I can’t somehow handle myself. I’m here for Renee, and I guess somewhere along the line I forgot that.”

“It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have seduced you. I wasn’t thinking about the consequences. Okay, I was, but I didn’t care about them. Then.” She’d made her choice. So why did it hurt so much?

“Olympia...you don’t get to play the guilt game, either. I made my own choices, okay? I made my bed the same way you made yours. I can handle myself,” he assured her. “I’m a big boy.”

This was the best way. She knew it. She rubbed her eyes and sighed. “I know. But I can’t apologize again, even though I want to. Now, if you don’t mind, I need the number for the lawyer so I can find out what he needs and get the paperwork sent to him immediately.”

“I sent it already,” he replied without emotion.

She swallowed over the lump in her throat. “Fine.”

Then, with nothing else to do, she took off past him, keeping her gaze locked on her feet. It was better than looking up to see the bitter disappointment she already knew was on Harlan’s face. She’d hurt him. And although part of her was convinced it had to be done, another part was screaming in protest. What had she done? Why was she pushing him away when all she wanted to do was draw closer, have those strong arms around her and assure her tomorrow was going to be better. The next day better still.

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