Page 58 of Hardcore Vanilla
“Someone needs to,” Kate teased.
“So, what do I do now?” Sharon asked, a little plaintively.
For the first time, she really felt like she was at sea. She wanted to apologize… but only if he apologized too. She also wasn’t used to making the first step in things like this. While she was plenty good at being confrontational, she wasn’t great at trying to smooth things over. At least, not when she was one of the parties that needed things smoothed. She could do it for other people just fine.
“Get some sleep,” Kate ordered. “It’s late. You need to rest. Tomorrow you’ll hopefully both be in a better frame of mind to actually talk.”
“What if I apologize and he doesn’t?”
“Then he really is a big jerk and you won’t have to feel bad about kicking his ass to the curb. But that’s not the kind of guy I think he is.”
That wasn’t the kind of guy Sharon thought he was either.
Okay, now she did want to go and knock on his door just to get it over with… But Kate was right. She should wait. For one, she needed to wash off the eyeliner and mascara that had run when she was crying. She also didn’t want to see him with puffy eyes and a red nose just in case hewasn’tthe kind of guy she thought he was.
“Thank you for the coddling and the tough love, Barbie-Girl.”
Kate laughed. “Any time, Little Italy, you know that. Love you.”
“Love you too. Night.”
Hanging up the phone, Sharon looked over at her door, ears straining. Maybe Jake would make her life easier and come and apologize first. Then she wouldn’t have any hesitation about saying she was sorry too. But there was nothing but silence in the hallway between them.
This was not how she’d seen the night going.
Ugh.
Tomorrow was going to be so awkward.
Chapter 15
He woke up early, restless and with an overabundance of nervous energy.
Since he had a feeling it was far too early for Sharon to be awake, Jake started off his morning by working out in the bedroom. It wasn’t as good as going for a run, but since the room was freaking huge there was plenty he could do in the empty space.
Push-ups. Sit-ups. Crunches. Lunges. Burpees. Etc., etc., etc.
He did more reps than he normally would since he didn’t have any weights with him. He’d worked up a pretty good sweat when there was a soft knock on his door, startling him. He’d never seen Sharon awake before nine on the weekends.
“Jake?” Her voice was quiet and slightly muffled, but it was her. Which was a relief. For one wild moment he’d thought maybe it was one of her parents, or that she’d sent the butler to kick him out of the house or something.
Pushing himself up off the floor where he'd been in a reclining position, he hurried over to yank the door open. The fact that he was shirtless and sweaty didn't even occur to him until he was chest to face with her and she was staring at his bare skin with a very familiar expression. A little smile tweaked the corners of her mouth as she lifted her gaze to his. She liked what she saw. For a moment it felt like everything was completely normal between them.
"Early morning workout?"
"I didn't think you'd be up yet," he admitted, stepping back so she could come inside. As soon as she did, the awkwardness hit them both again.
Sharon was still in her pajamas - purple pants covered with little pink hearts and a purple tank top - and he was only wearing his sweatpants. Normally they'd already be jumping on each other. Instead, Sharon stood in front of him, not quite meeting his eyes, shifting her weight back and forth uncomfortably.
He wasn't much better off. Rubbing his palms against his sweatpants, he cleared his throat.
"I'm sorry."
Both of them spoke at once, blurting out the words. Their gazes met, and Jake gave her a rueful smile which she returned.
"Go ahead," she said, gesturing to him.
"Sure you don't want to do ladies first?" he asked, teasing her. Some of the tension in his back was already dissipating.
