Page 10 of Needing Her

Right. Right, because I was just standing there.

I shook my head to clear the confusion and self-doubt and started backing away just as the door opened.

“Maci?” Connor began, bringing me to a humiliating halt at the sound of his concerned voice. “What are you doing out here?”

I looked up to see him in a pair of low-slung jeans with the button undone. His chest bare and red from where he’d officially de-greenified himself. “Uh...”

His choice of the night pushed into Connor’s apartment before turning to look at me, giving me a look as if I were an adorable little child. “She was staring at your door, trying to get the courage to knock on it. It was kind of cute...in a puppy-looking-to-get-its-head-scratched sort of way.”

Connor’s attention snapped back to me, his eyebrows bunching together at her revelation.

“No, I just...I just needed my baking soda back.” Oh my God...someone shoot me. How long had I stood there, daydreaming about Connor?

Whorey McWhore Slut choked out a laugh and grabbed Connor’s arm in a clear move of possession, drawing Connor’s focus to her for a moment before his eyes locked on mine again. After a moment, he sighed and said, “I told you to go to sleep. I’ll bring it by tomorrow.”

“Aww, is it past the little girl’s bedtime?”

“Don’t talk to her like that, Sadie,” he said on a growl. “Go wait for me inside.”

Sadie rolled her eyes and huffed out a “Whatever,” before storming away.

I knew I would look back on this tomorrow and wish I’d said something to her. But at the moment, I felt horribly mortified by this entire thing.

Dressing for him, playing out scenes in my head with him, standing outside his door for who knew how long as I played them all out...again. And then being smacked in the face with the type of girl he did go after.

Tons of makeup. Hair that I’d bet would light up like a dry Christmas tree. Tall, fake body with very little clothing. And an award-winning bitch-tude.

The complete opposite of me.

Eh, except for the attitude.

Finally remembering how to move, I turned for my door, ignoring the first time Connor called my name.

“Maci, stop,” he demanded and grabbed my arm as I opened my door. “Look at me.”

Locking my jaw, I fought the tightness in my throat and wondered why I was about to cry as I looked back at him.

“Are you okay?”

No. I really regretted giving him baking soda. Maybe if he still had a green face, Sadie wouldn’t be in his apartment. But I just nodded, afraid my voice would shake if I tried talking.

I need to focus on something other than my embarrassment. Be pissed that she’s in there and acting like she’s better than me...yeah...oh, no. Angry tears. Nope. No. Bad idea.

“Tell me why you were outside my door.”

“I did,” I managed to choke out without sounding like a strangled cat.

“Mace...did you—” Concern and something else I couldn’t decipher flashed through his eyes as he shifted closer. “Did you ever go back to your apartment?”

I hated that he had me figured out. I hated that his voice had gotten soft and low in a way that had my daydreams rushing back. And I freaking hated that, even though I had been with Bryce just the night before, Connor was about to sleep with the skank in his apartment.

“Of course I did,” I hissed and tried jerking my arm back, but he didn’t let go.

He just studied me before finally asking, “Do you need the baking soda right now, or can it wait until tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow’s fine.”

The corner of his mouth slowly tilted into a hesitant smirk as he squeezed my arm. “Then I’ll see you in the morning, Mini.”

---