Page 30 of Her Second Chance

“Brock. I–“

He grips my chin and turns my head to the side. “What the fuck is that?”

My hand shoots up to my neck, and my cheeks heat.

“Are you fucking kidding me?”

I open my mouth and close it, unsure of what to say. So many thoughts race through my mind before I land on being bitchy. It’s my go-to self-preservation technique when I feel backed into a corner. “You’re the one who was all hugged up and smoochy with that cheerleader in the Student Union.”

“I’m not the one with a purple spot on my neck, Hannah. That’s not the kind of care you should be receiving. I can’t allow that sort of thing.”

“What the fuck does that even mean?”

“I have to go home now, but I expect this to never happen again.” His tone is firm and unyielding, confusing me just as much as his words do. He stands, turning to leave, but I can’t let him go. Not like this.

I grab his arm, forcing him to turn around. “I saw the way you behaved with that cheerleader. There’s no way she’s not one of your little girlfriends.”

“So, you decided to run off and hook up with that loser guy you’re so fixated on? To what? Get back at me?” There’s no mistaking the hurt in his voice. “Why are you wasting time with him when I’m the one you really want? Stop fighting fate.”

“I don’t expect you to understand. And I didn’t fuck Jason. I’m still a virgin in this timeline.”

“This timeline? Hannah, do you realize how you sound? Nothing you say makes sense.”

“Nothing you say makes sense,” I retort. Real mature, Hannah. What’s wrong with me?

“Hannah–“

I can’t do this push and pull any longer. He may not believe me, but I have to explain why we can’t be together. “I’m thirty-one. I got drunk after my fiancé dumped me and woke up back in my past. I’m here because Jason was the one who got away. You and I never even met in the past. I already know your future. I won’t take away your happily ever after just because I selfishly want you.”

“I’ve heard some fucked up shit in my life, but no one has ever used time travel as a reason to reject me.” He turns to leave, anger and sadness radiating from him.

My heart seizes in my chest. I can’t let him go. I grab him and pull him close. Future be damned. “How about this? One night. We fuck and get it out of our systems. In the morning, you can go back to being a sports hero, and I can figure out how to make things work with Jason so I can get back to my life. For tonight, we can simply be Brock and Hannah, two people who exist solely to please one another.” My voice is shaky as I whisper in his ear, afraid my second chance will fall apart if the universe hears me. This is risky, but if I don’t give myself tonight, I’ll regret it for the rest of my life. I want one night with Brock, even if it’s not what I’m supposed to do. Just one memory to carry with me when I go back to my future.

He steps back, putting some distance between us. “You just said you’re a virgin. I’m not going to fuck you and then send you on your merry way. What kind of guy do you take me for?”

My eyes stay trained on his, pleading for him to say yes to this insane idea. “I trust you, Brock. I’d rather lose my virginity to you in a wonderful night of passion than to fumble around awkwardly with Jason. If we do this, we can give in to our desires without ruining our chances for our happy endings. You’ll still get your dream life, and I’ll finally have mine.”

He looks away, hands on his hips. “I can’t believe I’m even entertaining this ridiculous idea,” he mutters, shaking his head.

I step closer and cup his cock. “Are you really going to deny me this? To deny us?”

He gazes upward, sighing before meeting my eyes. “I guess not. But don’t think I’ll let you walk away after one night. I want more.”

“I’m afraid this is all I can give you.”

If that’s true, why does it feel like the biggest lie I’ve ever told?

Chapter 13

Hannah

Brock doesn’t hurry to his dorm even though we’re on a mission to have sex. In fact, he does the opposite, walking at a slow pace, asking me questions about my classes. This doesn’t feel like a race to fuck. It’s a slow seduction by getting to know each other better, something far more dangerous for my fragile hold on my mission. Brock’s interest in my life does nothing to deter my heart from beating in time with his. When this infatuation between us is over, I’m going to be devastated. There’s no way around it.

“Is painting your favorite medium?” Brock asks, showing me he’s been listening intently as I’ve described my art to him.

I nod. “It is. I’ve recently started making some found art objects for one of my classes and I’m thinking about incorporating that into my paintings. I’m getting sick of always doing hyper realism.”

“I’d like to see your work.”

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