Page 107 of Fool for You
She gave me a lackluster hug, said something I didn’t pay attention to, and then I left her standing there with her jaw to the floor when I pulled away, my body aching for Wyatt’s arms around me, not hers. The rodeo was over, the crowd was dispersing, the lights were dimming, and the one person I wanted to be with seemed farther and farther away.
Until he was right there.
And I heard him talking.
Helping her helped me.
If I wasn’t with her…
Then…Kelly came up.
I’m kinda hard to forget.
The moment I saw him brush her hair off her shoulder, the gleam in her eye told me everything. I knew that move. How many times had he done that to me right before he kissed my neck? How many times did he use that voice right before he touched me?
Every piece began to come together.
Coming to the rodeos.
The fun, flirty banter.
Making sure my mother wasn’t going to be here…that was more for his gain.
All of this—everything we had been through in the last couple of months—was all a play.
He played me.
Wyatt Hartwell made me think he wasn’t the man I thought he was, made me think he…
Sliding the heel of my palm over my forehead, I blocked everything out—even the loud voices in my head telling me how messed up this whole thing was, that I was a complete idiot.
Somehow, I made it back to my truck.
And the entire world froze. Time literally stopped until I felt his lips against my cheek. The ice that had surrounded me wanted so badly to melt, but I couldn’t let it. I couldn’t let him keep winning at whatever he was doing. I wanted to look into his eyes. I wanted to pretend it was all in my head…but all I could hear was him telling Archie that helping me helped him. All I could imagine was him kissing Kelly after I finally turned away. And when I finally looked into his eyes, pushing back the tears, the only thing I saw was all the lies he told me to get here.
“Wait…why?” I heard the surprise in his voice as he shifted in the seat next to me.
“Get. Out.” I repeated, not exactly knowing how to form the words I wanted to say. I could feel my blood beginning to boil. I would snap at any minute if he didn’t just leave me alone…
“Quinn.”
“Helping her…” I finally croaked out. “Helped me get here. If I weren’t withher.” I turned to look at him, and I finally let a tear fall. “That’s all I was to you?”
“I’m confused—”
“I heard you. With Archie. With—” I swallowed, not even being able to choke out her name. “How long were you going to play me for?” My head was swimming, everything was just so loud. I wanted to scream everything at him all at once, if only the words would form.
“Play you…? Quinn, I did—”
“I’m not stupid, Wyatt. Well, maybe I was falling for you, but I’m normally not stupid.” My head snapped away from him, eyes sealing shut as I tried to contain every thought in my head with my palms. “Just get out.”
“No, Quinn, talk to me. What’s going on?” he asked calmly, leaning over the console, his hand lightly touching my forearm.
I ripped it away from him. “You won’t get out? Fine, I will.” My body moved of its own volition, grasping the handle and yanking it so hard I’m shocked it didn’t come off. And then my feet were on the ground, and I was slamming the door behind me.
“Quinn!” he called. I looked up to see him jog around the front of the car. “What the hell is going on!?”
“I came to see you after my ride,” I began. “I heard your voice the entire time.Your voicegot me through my ride! I just wanted to be with you so bad, I came—”
