Page 59 of Bossy Trouble

After setting up, she reached for me, but I shook my head. “I want to, I do. But I have something else I have to do tonight.”

She nodded, her eyes wide in the moonlight. I couldn’t resist. I dragged her forward for a hot kiss, swallowing her surprised sound. Her hands went to trail over my neck, and I groaned, wanting more, wanting everything.

I needed to go now, or I would never leave.

“I have to go,” I told her.

She nodded. “I’ll see you later.”

“I’ll see you.”

And then I forced myself out the door, leaving the peaceful atmosphere behind.

* * *

I letmyself into Sasha’s apartment without knocking. I knew it was an asshole move, but she wasn’t answering my calls, and there was a good chance she would throw a pan at my head if I gave her enough of a warning.

As it was, she glared at me when I stepped in. “What do you want?”

She stood behind the kitchen counter with a plate of one of the saddest salads I’d ever seen.

I wiggled the spare key she’d given me. “You forgot to ask for this back.”

“You could have had it mailed,” she said, crossing her arms and speaking with a stiff formality. I could tell she wanted to curse at me right then, but she wouldn’t do it. Sasha was far too composed for that.

And I was a bastard for taking advantage of her all this time.

I sighed. I didn’t know what was turning me into such a sap, and I wasn’t sure I liked it. But it seemed imperative that I at least tried to make it up to Sasha for using her the way I did.

“I’m sorry,” I said and saw shock register on her face.

“Did you just apologize to me?”

“Yeah. Strange, isn’t it?” I tasted the words in my mouth. “It sounds strange to me too.”

Sasha blinked at me, then uncrossed her arms. “What exactly are you apologizing for?”

I saw the hope in her eyes and felt even guiltier because I was going to crush it again. “Not for breaking up with you. Maybe a little bit for how I did it but mostly, I’m sorry for dating you in the first place.” Shit, that sounded bad. Now I remembered why I didn’t do this apology stuff. I was way too clumsy at it. “I never should have asked you out, Sasha. You’re far too good for me.”

“Oh, don’t give me that,” she scoffed, heat creeping up her face. “Don’t give me that ‘It’s not you, it’s me talk.’ You have no idea how many times I’ve already heard that from my previous boyfriends.”

“Maybe it’s because you keep going after the same type of guy.” I held my hands up in defense when she suddenly glared at me again. “Hey, I’m not putting the blame on you. I’m definitely the jerk here; I’m just saying. You told me your previous boyfriend was an asshole to you, and you stayed with him for three years. I did the bare minimum, and you stuck around for way longer than you should have. Meanwhile, that bastard Lupin has been trying to give you the world, and you won’t give him the time of day.” I gave her a knowing look as she looked away from me. “Is it possible that your self-esteem is more than a little fucked up?”

“I don’t want Alexander Lupin,” she grumbled.

“I know. And I’m not saying you have to be with him, either. I’m just saying that you should probably be with someone who values you and loves you. Who lays the entire world at your feet. That man is not me.”

“Then who is it?” she asked.

“I don’t know. You’d have to find that out for yourself.”

She released a pained breath and held her arms over her abdomen as though to protect herself from attack. She didn’t look at me when she asked, “So, what changed?”

“What do you mean?”

“How did you realize that you weren’t good for me?”

I wasn’t sure how to answer that question. Pure honesty dictated that I tell her about Georgia, but I didn’t want to hurt the girl any more than she already was.

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