Page 41 of Two Minutes for Holding

“No need. I wouldn’t want to put you out. I mean, fun time is all over now, isn’t it. I’ll just take a cab,” I said, pulling the door open and slamming it shut behind me.

Chapter 13

Clay

The slamof the door echoed through my apartment. How the hell had things escalated so fast? The last thing I wanted her to do was leave. What I wanted was to pull her into my arms and assure her I’d be there every step of the way, regardless of whose baby it was. Instead, I’d blown that because I’d not been able to take a step back and look at the situation rationally.

It wasn’t just the news of a baby that had me feeling off. I’d felt off ever since our first night together. I’d not been able to concentrate on much of anything without the thought of her invading my mind. I’d not understood the excitement I’d felt seeing her in Vermont that weekend either, or how I felt seeing her earlier tonight after I’d arrived for dinner. These feelings weren’t something I was used to.

I’d also struggled with the events from the night I’d run into Sonya, the only woman I’d gone back to time and time again. She lived in Vancouver, so when I needed to blow off steam, she was only a phone call away. It didn’t happen often, but when ithad, it had always been a good time. Only this time, when I ran into her, something was different. She did absolutely nothing for me. Even her rubbing against me that night, dancing, normally would have made me hard as a damn rock, but nothing. It was as if my cock had broken.

After that, I started wondering if I’d ever be okay again. Then I’d remembered Dylan talking about how he’d felt after he and Aurora had slept together for the first time. They’d shared a one-night stand while on vacation in Mexico, and he’d freaking kicked himself for almost an entire year for not getting her number. All he kept telling us was that no other woman could ever compare to how he’d felt that night with her.

I’d thought he was being ridiculous. I mean, sex was sex, wasn’t it? It was all good. Then, when he’d admitted not being able to look at or get aroused by another woman, I thought he was crazy. He claimed he was in love with this one-night stand girl. I’d thought there was something wrong with him. We’d even tried fixing him up with some girls, none of which worked. Now, I was wondering about the same thing.

Was I in love with Peyton? Had she really rocked me that hard in bed that I’d wanted to give up other women and, dare I say, settle down? Was this another Dylan-Aurora situation? I wondered. Was it even possible?

What was I doing? All I knew was that right now, there was no way I could let her leave. Not like this, not upset. There was also no way I was letting her take a fucking cab home. She could either come back upstairs with me and talk this shit through or I was driving her home, and we’d revisit this in a couple of days before she returned to Vermont. Come hell or high water, we were going to figure this shit out.

I should have remained calm, I thought as I took off out the door and down to the lobby. The moment the elevator doors opened, I ran out in time to see that Peyton was already in theback of a cab, pulling the door closed. I ran to the main door and opened it, just to watch the cab pull away.

Running my hands through my hair, I took off back upstairs to my condo where I flopped down on the couch and looked out over the city. As peaceful as the night lights were, my mind was screaming. I really needed my boys—at least one of them—so I grabbed my phone and pulled up what I was certain was the last one of our message threads—the one without Knox. This had to stay away from him. I typed feverishly, re-read the message, and then hit sent.

CLAY: I have a hypothetical question for you, jerks. Anyone around?

Before I could close the chat, those little dots bounced around. I’d figured they’d all be in bed, but I should have known better. It seemed one of us was always around when we needed one another.

DYLAN: Shoot

LEVI: Go for it.

LUCAS: What’s up?

I smiled as those three messages came in at almost the same time.

CLAY: What would one of you do if, let’s say, you got a girl pregnant?

DYLAN: Have you forgotten? I already have one, and you already know what I’ve done.

LUCAS: Uh dude, wish that hell on me. I swear…

CLAY: No Dylan I haven’t forgotten, and no Lucas, I’m not wishing it on you. Poor Ella has been through enough, what with marrying you already. I’d never curse that gorgeous girl with something like that.

LUCAS: I’m not sure how to take that? Fellas?

DYLAN: What a dick thing to say…

LEVI: Who are you wishing this on? Better not be me?

CLAY: It’s just a hypothetical question.

LUCAS: I don’t think so. Who got someone knocked up? Levi, you’ve been seeing some chick, is it you?

LEVI: Nope, I always wrap it…god how did I even get pulled into this?

LUCAS: Colton

COLTON: What? I’m single as single can be. In fact, I’m wondering if my dick even still works. It’s been that long.

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