Page 41 of Into the Woods

Shit. Had I?

“What the hell are you doing here?” I demanded, going on the offense because… yeah. I was pretty sure I’d leaned in and taken a whiff of him.

I’d unpack that slip up later, when I was home.

“I’m on a date,” I added, a dark thrill shooting through me at the fury that flashed across his face.

It was quickly schooled with a callous sneer. “I’m well fucking aware, sweetheart.”

“I-is that why you’re here?” I stammered, shock rippling down my spine. “Are you here because…” I had no idea how to finish that thought. I slammed my mouth shut before I could do something stupid.

Well, stupider than sniffing him like I was a shifter in a romance novel.

“Because you’re on a date with a lowlife scum?” He arched a brow.

I felt my cheeks flush with anger. “Eric isn’t—”

“Don’t tell me you’re actually defending that douche nozzle.” His jaw dropped open, incredulity spreading across his face.

“Court—”

His expression turned mocking. “Oh, is it love?”

“Screw you,” I snapped, pushing at his wide shoulders, but the asshole didn’t budge. “Get off!”

He pressed against me harder. “So you can go back out there and make an even bigger fool out of yourself? No, thanks. I’ll stay here where I can babysit your ass the way you so obviously need.”

“If anyone’s going to watch my ass, it’ll be my boyfriend,” I taunted. I wasn’t sure that throwing the label on Eric was a great idea, but I did love the way Court looked a little sick at my declaration. “Fun fact? He loves my ass.”

Jesus, it was like word vomit. I couldn’t stop, because I needed Court to have some kind of reaction. Any kind of reaction. My masochistic heart craved a flicker of awareness from him, and I’d take it any way I could get it.

And that was exactly why I’d needed to get away from Court Woods.

He was everything I wanted and nothing I could have.

“Wow,” Court murmured, shaking his head like he was sorry for me. “Pathetic, even for you, Becca.”

“Don’t call me that!” I hissed.

Court was one of the few people who still used my childhood nickname, and it was a donkey kick to the heart every time I heard it.

“Fine. Bex.” Disdain dripped from his tone, like my nickname personally offended him.

And just like that, I was done. Exhausted. Spent. Tired of pretending I didn’t give a shit when I did. It had been a weird night, and seeing Court made me realize why.

I wasn’t over him.

I was trying to force myself to feel for Eric even a flicker of the inferno I did when I was around Court, but it was as useless as a concrete parachute. My unease tonight wasn’t nerves over a kiss; it was anxiety because I knew, down deep, that Eric wasn’t the guy I wanted.

Sure, I could lie to my heart, but the sadistic bitch always brought me back to this singular truth: Court Woods was intrinsically woven into the fabric of my soul.

I sagged under the weight of the realization that I’d never be rid of him. Of this feeling.

Maybe it was time to just call it a life and pledge myself to a convent and whatever nuns did. Crap, did I have to be Catholic to be a nun? Or was the basic belief that there was a higher power somewhere, laughing his ass off as he played with the doll known as Rebecca Whittier?

A warm hand slid behind my neck, anchoring me to the present.

I gasped as Court touched his forehead to mine for a beat. “Focus, Becca.”

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