Page 87 of Unforgettable

Tears full of fear and heartache sting my eyes, and Oz isn’t even in the room yet. I press the heels of my hands to my eyes, trying to regain my composure.

“Reeve.” Oz’s voice reaches my ears, his worry practically instant. “What’s wrong?”

I drop my arms and face the door. I watch him stride to me, the concern on his face so genuine and moving, a tear slips out almost immediately.

Fuck.

“Hey, hey, hey,” Oz coos softly. He’s now standing in front of me, holding my face, wiping at my eyes that refuse to stop leaking. “What’s the matter?”

I turn my head out of his grasp, and I instantly see the shock and hurt in his eyes. He takes a step back, his back straightening, every part of him on alert.

“What’s wrong?” he repeats, the tone of his voice demanding I answer him.

Unable to think of any other way to say the words that I know will crush him, I just blurt it out. “I’m going home.”

“You’re going home,” he echoes slowly. He narrows his eyes at me. “You’re leaving Vermont?”

“Yes,” I answer. “I’m going back to Connecticut.”

“When?”

“This weekend, or earlier if I get everything together.”

He shakes his head, slow and disbelieving, and steps forward to me. “Why?”

Nausea whirls around in my stomach. “I can’t…” I shake my head. “It’s too much. You and me, it’s too much.”

“No,” he says a little too loudly. “It’s not too much. It’s barely even enough.”

“I can’t do this with you and then leave in a month’s time anyway,” I rush out. “It hurts now and it’ll hurt even worse later.”

Oz extends his arms and reaches for me. He takes my hand and drags me to him, till we’re face-to-face, his eyes on mine, his hands gently cradling my face. “So don’t go,” he says. Three simple words, holding the heaviest weight to have ever landed on my heart.

“I can’t,” I supply weakly. “You know I have to go.”

Ignoring me, he repeats himself. “Stay. Stay here with me.Bewith me.”

Of all the possible scenarios, I never imagined that Oz would ask me to stay. I know the sincerity of his feelings toward me and have felt them down to the marrow of my bones, but this… this is unexpected.

Nobody has ever fought for me before. Usually I’m the one reminding someone of my relevance, or doing things like working with my family, just so they’re not constantly viewing me as a disappointment to them.

But unfortunately, no matter how nice the words are to hear, they don’t change a single thing.

“I love you, Reeve.” He gently brushes his thumb across my lips, his soft gaze holding mine. And all I want to do is say it back.

I love you too. I love you so fucking much.

“I love you,” he repeats. “And I want you to stay. I want us to give this a go.”

“This wasn’t how it was supposed to happen,” I choke out. “It was only ever supposed to be one night. You said you didn’t do relationships,” I say accusingly.

He throws his hands up in the air, frustration oozing off of him. “So, I changed the rules of the fucking game. It’s not like I’m alone in this.” He exhales, trying to regain his composure, returning his hands to my cheeks. “IknowI’m not alone in this, Reeve,” he pleads, and unshed tears fill my eyes at the sound of pain in his voice. “Baby, please.”

I wrap my fingers around his wrists and push his hands off my face. I wipe at my eyes and take a step back, needing the distance.

“I have to go back and work for my parents,” I say coldly. “I can’t get out of that.”

“You mean you won’t,” he spits out, his hurt turning to warranted anger. “It’s your life, but you’re going to live it for them.”

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