Page 127 of Don't Let Me Go (Don't Let Me 2)

“Like what? Your puck bunnies aren’t available?”

His brows furrow. “Huh?”

“When I was moving in with the girls. You said fucking was your favorite form of cardio,” I remind him. “Guess I figured if you’re at the track, they must be busy or something.”

It’s a low blow, but I can’t help myself. He hurt me. More than once.

He grabs my bicep to keep me from darting off but continues catching his breath. And I hate how good it feels. His hand on me. The way I want him to wrap it around my waist and just…hold me.

Snap out of it, Blake.

His heated gaze burns the side of my face as we stand in silence at the edge of the track, but I don’t look at him. If I do, he’ll see how much I’m hurting. How much I miss him.

“I wouldn’t know if the bunnies are busy,” he says. “I haven’t talked to them in months.”

I scoff and tug my arm away from him. “Sure, you haven’t.”

“I’m serious, Blake.”

“Not sure why you’re telling me about your sex life, Teddy. It’s not like it has anything to do with me anymore.”

Frustrated, he twists his baseball hat backwards and asks, “Look. Can we talk?”

I glare at him. “There’s nothing to talk about.”

“Come on, Blake.”

“I’m serious. What’s done is done, okay? No hard feelings. Let’s just…move on and go our separate ways. And since you’re leaving at the end of year, anyway, it’s what’s best for both of us, right?”

“Blake,” he repeats. There’s an edge to his voice causing me to pause.

I suck my lips between my teeth, look up at him, and wait.

“Give me another chance.”

I laugh. “You’re joking, right?”

“I meant what I said to Coach. I care about you. I could fucking love you, Blake. And I was wrong for putting your job on the line. It’s not what I meant to do.”

“We’ve already covered this,” I remind him. “Besides, I’m…” A beat-up red and rust minivan pulls into the parking lot and seven kids pile out of the back, racing toward me with giant grins. Theo follows my gaze and tucks his hands into his pockets.

“I can’t talk about this right now,” I seethe under my breath through a fake-ass smile directed at the kids.

“Then when can we talk about it?” he asks.

“Never?” I offer, taking a step away. He grabs my arm and twists me to face him.

“You know, for a girl who’s convinced I’m gonna leave, you’re doing a hell of a lot of running from me.”

I gasp, blindsided.

But I don’t have time to argue with him. Not when the kids are arriving, and I have a class to teach.

“Hey, Blake!” one of the kids calls. His name is Billy, and he’s one of the sweetest little boys I’ve ever met. He’s also in the foster care system and has a twin brother and a little sister. Both of whom are trailing behind him.

Billy stops short when he sees how tense I look, and I hate the fear flashing in his eyes. “I-is everything okay?”

“It’s fine,” I promise, giving Theo my back as I group a few more kids together on the grass surrounding the track loop. “We’re having a little bit of an argument, but I promise Theo’s a nice man, okay? I’m sorry if we scared you.”

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