Page 28 of Apt 2E

“You don’t know what you are doing, Shelby. You are ruining the best thing that could ever happen to the two of us.”

“No. You’re wrong. I know precisely what I am doing, Zeke. I’m righting my wrongs. I should never have met with you in private, and I should have refused to work with you, period. I got wrapped up in this sexual tension, and I shouldn’t have. You can blame it all on me.”

His laugh was strangled, and he shook his head, “Yeah, I will. Thanks for the best fuck of my life, Shelby.” He turned and started toward the door, stopping only to collect his cellphone and keys.

I wanted to run after him, but I didn’t. Instead, I let his words settle over my cracked heart, and when he slammed the door behind him, I jumped and then sank to the floor to cry.

* * *

Friday night, I made a rash decision and headed to my condo at the shore. I needed to get away and think about everything. I knew that I was supposed to talk to Diane, but I couldn’t face her right now. I needed to figure out a way to explain what I had done in a way that wouldn’t hurt her too badly. Was there such a way?

I hadn’t heard from Zeke, and I was thankful and frustrated about that. I knew he was hurt, but his pain was nothing compared to what Diane would feel at my betrayal of our friendship. In all of my years, I had never done such a thing. Even thinking a friend’s man was attractive crossed lines in my mind. What had gotten into me that I had not only crossed this line, but I had plowed right the hell over it? What was it about Zeke that called so profoundly to me?

Was it the bad boy that I saw in him? Had something in me somehow known that he would open my eyes to things?

I stared out over the water, the cold wind gusted against me from my perch on my balcony, but I welcomed it. It kept me grounded. It reminded me that I had done my friend wrong. I needed to suffer for this. I deserved to suffer.

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