Page 73 of Play Fast (Brooklyn Dawn 2)

“It’s classic Dr. Phil stuff. He’s not ready to have an adult relationship. Especially not with me. I didn’t save his sister.” I rubbed the back of my hand under my nose to stop it from dripping. “For all I know, this was some big ass revenge plot. But hey, my fault, because I forced the issue. He didn’t speak to me for six months. I probably should’ve left well enough alone.”

“No.”

“No?”

“No,” Noah repeated. “You didn’t see his face when he left here. He looked desolate.”

“Desolate?” That didn’t compute. Also, it was possible this bedroom had an echo chamber. “We’d just had an amazing fu—sexual congress,” I amended. “He had no reason to be desolate. I thought you male types crowed after such moments.”

“I can’t say I’ve ever crowed after any moment.”

“I’m sorry,” I said sincerely. “But believe me, he should have. I should have. If he was woe-face when he left here, he’s an even bigger prick than I thought because no one made him go except himself.”

Noah scrubbed his hands over his eyes. “I haven’t had coffee yet.”

“That doesn’t really compare to my heartbreak, but okay.”

His rough chuckle surprised me. “I’m just saying, I’m not really prepared for this.”

“No shit, Sherlock. Me either. But fuck it. I’m wearing a Christmas sweater even though it’s May, and it’s so ugly it shouldn’t even be worn in December. And I’m gonna plait my hair and do kickass mascara wings and rock the shit out of all of it.” I sat down heavily on the bed. “He really left you to drive me back like cattle?”

“What he did was run away. End of story.”

I reached out for his hand and gave it a quick squeeze. “He really hated that you could do more pull-ups than he could.”

“He’ll have plenty of time to do them while he’s getting his head out of his ass.” He squeezed mine back.

I shook my head and dropped my hand into my lap. “No. We’re finished.”

“So, he’s not the only stubborn one then. Good to know.”

“He had his chance.”

“He did, and he was an idiot to waste it. But if he’s lucky, he’ll get another.” Noah’s Adam’s apple rose and fell in the dim light coming from the hall. “Some of us don’t.”

My eyes stung, so I shut them. “His sister didn’t.”

“No. So, maybe think about that, huh?” He walked to the door. “And for the love of God, put on some pants before breakfast. I’m making waffles before we head back.”

I perked. Or rather, my knotted belly did. “Frozen?”

He shuddered. “Good God, no. I made Osmond get ingredients for real ones before he ran for the hills. He even brought back whipped cream without me requesting it.” This he said with an arched brow, as if I understood the gravity of this gesture.

“So?”

“Never doubt the importance of whipped cream.”

“You’re a weirdo sometimes, Jordan.”

I didn’t let another tear fall until he shut the door behind him.

Fifteen

I drove back to the city in a haze. I had a place there, a showpiece apartment. The kind of apartment Daisy would’ve believed was more fitting for my status as a rock god.

Today, I felt like a poser. A pretender. Hiding out under a hood and dark glasses on a cloudy day wasn’t helping my mental state either.

Your fault. You made all of this worse.

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