Page 123 of Changing Rules

How can you do this to me?

Xander:

I’m on a walk with Milo, and I have no idea how to unsee what I just read

Xander:

Is knotting a thing for dogs too?

Xander:

Bella!

Xander:

I can’t even look at my dog now

Shaking with laughter, I send him a gif fromGame of Thrones.

Me:

*oh my sweet summer child gif*

Me:

Have a nice walk! Tell Milo I can’t wait to see him

I toss my phone on the desk near my laptop, then head for the shower.

Hours later,though it’s late and my room is dark, I’m still wide awake. Staring at the ceiling, I can’t help but think about Xander.

Flirting with him is easy. It always has been. Our conversations are full of banter and jokes, the kind that put a smile on my face for hours. Being in his company, having his attention on me, warms my skin and turns the blood in my veins into a scorching fire. The energy that pulses through me when he’s around makes me believe I can do anything.

His kisses, his hands on my skin, his fingers tangled in my hair…it’s overwhelming. Euphoric. The tiniest brush of his fingers sends tingles coursing through me. It has never been like that with anyone else, and I have a feeling it never will be.

Heismy guy. Deep down, I know it. Even after a year apart, after all the heartbreak, my love for him hasn’t waned.

The problem is…I’m not ready to risk my heart again.

He’s still the man I fell in love with, though he has changed. I see it. I’ve only seen him a handful of times since I’ve been back,but he’s proven that he’s put effort into changing his habits, his behavior. But how can I be sure that what happened to us before won’t happen again, especially when I still don’t understand how our relationship crumbled so completely the last time?

And then there’s my internship in Santa Clara.

This opportunity is like a golden ticket, the perfect start to my career in interior design. I’ve been dreaming about it since the moment Mrs. Hopkins announced it.

I turn onto my side, and my eyes instantly land on the boxes I moved from the foyer and stacked under the desk. I don’t plan to unpack them. My internship doesn’t start for several months, but I have a lot to do in preparation, and I’ll have to leave at least a few weeks before so I can get settled.

That means my time in Boston is limited.

My time with him is limited.

Yet another reason I shouldn’t let my heart rule my decisions.

An unfamiliar metallicblue Hyundai Tucson pulls up to the curb. To my surprise, Xander gets out. He’s wearing a ball cap pulled low and a pair of sunglasses, and as he opens the back door and scoops up Milo, I can’t help but check him out.

His simple white T-shirt fits him like a second skin, stretching over his broad shoulders and hugging his impeccable torso just right. The sleeves are taut over his biceps, his tattoos on full display. His dark blue jeans sit low on his hips, outlining his strong thighs in a way that sets my body on fire.

Damn him. Why does he always have to look so fucking good?

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