Page 37 of Say I'm Yours
“I love you, Grace. I’ve always loved you. I love you, and I promise it’ll be different. I need you, sweetheart.”
Those words.
Those three words that I’ve waited forever to hear.
Another scrap.
My body starts to shake and a strangled sob breaks from my chest. Trent’s arms wrap around me, and I fall apart. I’ve had plenty of people tell me he loves me. I think in some convoluted way he believes he’s told me, but hearing it come from his mouth is too much.
So long I’ve hoped that he did love me. But love isn’t a weapon to be wielded at another. Love doesn’t wound the other person, and right now, I’m in pain.
I need to breathe and think.
I need some space to sort myself out.
Slowly, I get myself under control. I lean back and wipe my eyes. I look into his blue eyes and shake my head. This is everything I wanted, and yet, I would give anything for him to take it back.
Trent must sense what I’m feeling, and he starts to speak quickly. “I’m telling you what I should’ve said a long time ago. I’ve hurt you so much, and I will never forgive myself.”
He has hurt me, and he’s doing it now without meaning to.
“Please, stop,” I plead. “Please give me some time.”
“I want to make it up to you. I think we should—”
“Dammit, Trent!” I push against his chest and step back. “I can’t do this today. I’ve had a really confusing night and then all ofthisbefore noon, and I need some time alone. I’ve waited so long to hear those words, and I can’t process this right now.”
Trent takes two strides and lifts my chin to look at him. “Are you going to give me a chance to prove it? Doesn’t it change anything?”
“You’re not going to pressure me into this. I won’t let you.”
“And I won’t watch you with another man. I can’t even think about him touching you like I just did.”
Then, I understand why he finally gave me the one thing I’ve wanted for so long. He doesn’t love me. He doesn’t want things to change between us. He only cares that I’m not with Cooper. I look at him with hurt and frustration.
“For you to say that to me—”
Knock, knock, knock.
My eyes snap to the door, and Trent stares at me.
“Expectin’ someone?” he asks.
“No.”
“Grace!” Cooper’s deep voice calls from the other side.
“Well.” Trent grins. “I guess you should answer that.”
Chapter 9
There’sno way this is going to be good. Not one single scenario I’ve run through will yield a positive outcome, so I’m going to suck it up. I can’t change it, might as well face it. I throw on clothes and walk back out to the hall where Trent is leaning against the wall.
“If you want to finish this conversation, you won’t be a jerk,” I warn as I walk by him, but he just watches me. When I open the door, Cooper stands there wearing a pair of jeans and worn T-shirt.
“Hey.” Cooper smiles.
“Hi,” I say as regret floods through me. I hate myself for this. I know he’ll play it cool, but I ended our date and then slept with my ex-boyfriend. I’m a horrible bitch. I deserve to die a lonely cow. “Listen, Coop,” I say as I put my hand on his arm and push us both outside. “Trent is here.”
