Page 52 of Break My Heart
‘It was a lot better. And longer.’
‘But you wanted to stop.’
‘Because if I didn’t, we would’ve ended up .?.?.’ I glance at the curtain that leads to his bed.
‘Right,’ he says, blowing out a breath. He’s just as worked up as I am, and likely just as frustrated that we can’t take this farther. But I think we both know it wouldn’t end well. There’s a reason you don’t mix business with pleasure, although it’s damn tempting.
‘I should go,’ I say, getting up.
‘I’ll walk you out.’
‘You don’t have to. It’s a small town. I think I’ll be safe walking down the street.’
He goes with me anyway, walking me out of the brewery and down the street to my pickup.
‘You still want me over at eight?’ he asks as we stand by my truck.
For a moment I wasn’t sure what he was talking about and then I remember the deal we made for him to fix stuff for me.
‘Yeah, eight is good. I’m hoping to get into work early to finish my Halloween brew.’
‘I’m doing one too. A dark—’ He stops and rubs his jaw. ‘I probably shouldn’t tell you that.’
‘And I shouldn’t have told you I’m doing a Halloween brew.’
‘It’s not like they’ll be the same. I think it’s okay that we know.’
‘Yeah, you’re probably right. Well, I should go.’ I get in the truck.
On the ride back to my place, I keep thinking how easily I let it slip that I was making a special beer for Halloween. It shows I’m getting too comfortable around Sawyer. Spending time with him, meeting his family, kissing him .?.?. it’s making me feel closer to him. And the closer we get, the more likely I am to tell him something I shouldn’t.
Maybe I should stop seeing him. I don’t have a reason to. He shouldn’t want to spend time with me either. He could spill a secret just as easily as I could.
But there’s something about us that keeps drawing us together. It’s like at camp all those years ago. We acted like we hated each other and yet we kept finding ourselves together, either down at the lake or walking along the trails. I don’t think we planned it that way. It just happened, like there was this force attracting us to each other. I feel like it’s happening again now, but I can’t let it.
We’re not kids anymore. We’re not trying to see who can eat the most pie or swim the fastest. We’re two adults running similar businesses in a small town that can probably only support one microbrewery. And I plan to be the one that survives.
Chapter 12
Sawyer
Last night with Gina was probably the best date I’ve ever had, and it wasn’t even a date. But it felt like one, especially when I kissed her. The kiss was so great I almost forgot she’s the girl I’m supposed to be angry at for opening a brewery that competes with mine.
Why does it have to be her? I finally find a girl I really like, and like spending time with, and it’s Gina freaking Slater. I really wanted to hate her, but now that I’m getting to know her, I really like her. As much as her opening a brewery annoys me, I respect her drive and determination to succeed. I’m the same way. I don’t like losing or failing or admitting defeat. Gina’s the first girl who’s really challenged me and I love that about her. It forces me to do better and excites me in a way that also turns me on.
Talking to her last night, I learned stuff about her I never knew. She’s had to overcome a lot to get to where she’s at. I can’t believe her dad sent her to camp right after her mom died. I wish I’d known what had happened. I wouldn’t have been so hard on her. She says she liked that I treated her that way, like she was justany other kid, but I don’t. I feel like shit for being that way to her and wish I could take it back.
‘Well, this is a surprise,’ my mom says as I walk into the kitchen. ‘Why didn’t you tell me you were coming over?’
‘I’m not staying.’ I give her a quick hug. It’s a rule when you come over, always give Mom a hug. ‘I just wanted to get some of your apple pastries.’
‘Help yourself.’ She points to a tray of them, fresh from the oven. ‘I made apple streusel muffins too if you’d like to try one. They’re a new recipe.’
‘I’ll take a few. Do you have something I could put them in?’
‘Just take a container from the cupboard,’ she says, pouring coffee in her mug.
‘I need something you don’t want back, like a paper plate or some foil.’ I open a drawer and see a box of plastic bags. ‘I’ll just use one of these.’
