Page 55 of The History Between Us

“Excuse me?” Blood roars in my ears as my pulse races, my body boiling.

“You’re behaving like a child, throwing a temper tantrum when he doesn’t get his way.”

A child?“Fuck you,” I spit out, standing up. “You want to talk about throwing a temper tantrum? Look in the fucking mirror,Doc.”

William raises, grabbing my arm as I try to pass by. It takes me by surprise, my body reacting like I’ve been shocked. My head snaps to the side, gaze crashing with his, and for a moment neither of us says anything. It happens so fast, I don’t even see it coming. One minute, his hand is wrapped around my forearm, and the next, it’s hauling me into him by the back of my neck. Our mouths collide brutally and messily. There’s nothing sweet or soft about this kiss, and it's over before it even has a chance to begin because as soon as my brain catches up, I shove him away with a hand to his chest.

Fuck that. He wants to act like an asshole and call me a child, he doesn’t get to kiss me like nothing happened. “Don’t touch me,” I grit out, my head spinning from the metaphorical whiplash William is giving me. But also, maybe a little from the kiss.

Clenching his jaw, he takes a step back, putting some much-needed distance between us. “You should probably go,” he murmurs.

“You think?” I huff out a laugh. “It’s probably past my bedtime anyway, since, you know, I’m a child.”

As I blow through the backdoor, I don’t hear him following me. It’s probably for the best. The entire drive home is spent in silence, my mind reeling over what the fuck happened today. It’s not until I park my truck in front of my house and turn offthe ignition that I realize how fucking gutted I feel. There’s an ache deep in my chest that refuses to go away, and I don’t understand it.

William is just a man I was fooling around with. Nothing more.

So, why does it feel like so much more than that? Why does it feel like I’ve lost something?

26

William Andino

“You want cream and sugar?” Conrad asks.

“Please.”

It’s been almost two weeks since everything went down with Colt, and it’s been weighing heavy on my mind every day. I can’t stop thinking about what I said to him. How hurt he looked, and the way he tried to hide it under his anger. I need to get all of this off my chest, maybe get some advice, and since telling Max is currently out of the question, the next best person is Conrad. Although, now that I’m here, about to do just that, my palms are sweaty. I don’t think he would ever judge me, nor do I think he would go and tell Max, but this is the first time I’m admitting what’s been going on to anybody. Even after my father all but announced that he knew about us, I’ve done my very best to avoid the topic. I’m just not ready to go there with him, or really anyone. But after he just about bit my head off this morning for the piss poor mood I’ve been in—his words—I can’t keep it bottled in any longer.

“Here you go.” Conrad hands me a coffee mug with thePowder Ridge Arena logo on it. “Let’s take these out on the porch.”

Following him, I mentally prepare myself to divulge this massive secret to my friend. Truthfully, I didn’t expect to be as nervous as I am. I can only imagine how it’ll be when I actually tell Max.

It’s not until we sit down that I realize I just mentally saidwhenI tell Max, notif.

“You alright over there?” Conrad asks, and when I glance over at him, he’s watching me warily.

I get it. I texted him this morning asking if I could stop by, gave him no reason, and I’ve been in my head since I got here. I’d probably be wary too if the roles were reversed. Finally, I drag in a deep breath, take a sip from my coffee, and decide to just go for it. It’s not going to get any easier the longer I wait. “Listen, there’s something I wanted to talk to you about,” I blurt out, louder than intended.

Conrad’s brows pinch with confusion. “Okay. What’s up?”

“I don’t know how to say this without it sounding awful, so I’m just going to spit it out.” My heart pounds ferociously. “I’ve been… sleeping with somebody for a little while who I know I probably shouldn’t. It started as a one-night stand a couple years ago, one I never thought would happen again, but then it did. Happen again, that is.”

I lift my eyes, meeting his gaze, taken aback when I find them narrowed on me and his jaw clenched. He lookspissed. “Will, you’re my friend and I love you, but so help me god, if you’re about to tell me that you’ve been sleeping with my ex-husband, I will murder you with my bare hands and bury you on this property where nobody will ever find you.”

Rearing back like I’ve been slapped, I shake my head. “What?” I hiss. “What the hell are you talking about? Why would I be sleeping with Whit?”

The scowl doesn’t leave his face. “Maybe because you’re acting fucking weird, and you just vaguely told me how you’ve been sleeping with somebody you shouldn’t. Who else would have you this stiff and nervous about telling me?”

“Will you relax,” I mutter. “It’s not Whit. It’s…” Scanning the yard like I’m about to find Max watching us and overhearing everything, I lower my voice and say, “It’s Colt.”

Conrad’s brows shoot all the way up his forehead before he lets out a deep, gruff chuckle.

“This is funny to you?” I ask incredulously.

Rubbing a hand over his mouth, he manages to pull himself together enough to say, “Could’ve seen that comin’ a mile away.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

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