Page 122 of Breaking the Rules

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We stay like that for the rest of the road. As I park. As she storms into the house and up the stairs.

Maybe I should give her space.

But I don't.

"Seriously, Hunter, I'm tired. I need to sleep." She steps out of her shoes. Bends to scoop them into her hands.

I stare back at her.

She sighsfine. "I overreacted to something."

"Did he try something?"

"Try something?"

"Touch you?"

"He kissed me, yeah."

The words drop like a thud. They bounce off the white walls and the modern furniture. Echo around the dark, empty house.

Bile rises in my throat.

"Are you jealous or worried?" she asks.

Both. "Did you want him to kiss you?"

"Yeah."

That doesn't make sense.

She's terrified.

Shaking.

"You're right. I drank too much. Got mixed up. That's it." She turns and reaches for her door handle. "Thanks for the ride."

"Em—"

"I'm going to bed."

"If there is something, anything… You can tell me."

"Right."

"We are friends."

"You've only said that three million times now."

"Anything you tell me stays between us."

"How can I trust that?"

"You have my word."

"That's it?"

"It's all I have."

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