Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 117443 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 587(@200wpm)___ 470(@250wpm)___ 391(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 117443 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 587(@200wpm)___ 470(@250wpm)___ 391(@300wpm)
“So,” she announced. “We should probably talk.”
Chris grimaced. “Hayley, I am so, so sorry about what happened. You have no idea. I-”
Hayley shook her head. “It’s not your fault. It’s mine.”
“Don’t ever say that! Nothing was your fault. At all. I’m the one who screwed up. I don’t even really know how it happened. I don’t share my bed with many women.”
Hayley frowned, reminded of Deanna. “And then there was today.”
“Today I realized I can’t be away from you anymore. We’re going to work this out. We’re going to fix this,” he assured her. “But not right now. I just want you. In my bed. Next to me. We can deal with all this tomorrow.”
At first Hayley had thought he had been trying to avoid a scene at the bar, but now, when they were alone, he still wasn’t bringing up Deanna. Maybe Deanna had lied altogether and hadn’t even been at Burnout this afternoon. But why was he pushing her put off discussing anything?
“I’ve missed you all week. “Today was the worst,” she replied. “It just seemed to drag on and I knew you’d be at the bar tonight. Tonight couldn’t get here fast enough.”
Chris took her in his arms and brushed her hair back. “For me, too, baby. I just need to hold you again.” He ushered them into the bedroom. Hayley a little bewildered for a moment as he swept her inside and shut the door.
“We don’t have to do anything,” he assured her, stripping off his jeans. “I just need to hold you.”
Hayley hesitated. They didn’t need to do anything? Why was that? Because he’d gotten it from somewhere (someone) else?
Chris threw his shirt onto the chair and kissed her again. Now Hayley started to grow angry. “Did you think about me today?” she asked as his lips brushed over her neck.
He groaned and ran his hands down her back. “Always,” he told her.
“Really?”
“Mmm,” was his only response.
“Did you think of me while you were fucking her? Did you call her my name again?”
Chris froze and pulled back from her. “Goddamn it,” he muttered. “She got to you. I should have known she wouldn’t just let it go. Hayley, listen to me-”
“I tried listening to you!” she snapped. “I asked you over and over what happened today and you lied to me!”
Chris kept his voice calm to counteract her shrill one. “I didn’t lie to you. I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you upset. Nothing happened, she-”
Hayley scoffed. “Oh, really?! Nothing happened? While she was bent over your desk? Just like me? Have you been doing her this whole time? I bet she gives it to you just how you like it. And the two of you, you talk about me, and how fucked up I am. Of course you wanted your name tattooed on her perfect body. Did you tell her how ugly I am? Did the two of you get a good laugh out of it?” Her hand struck out to slap him but he caught it easily.
“You do not hit me,” he growled. “Especially since I would never, ever do it to you. I get that this is your first real relationship, so I’m going to forgive you this time. But I’ve seen enough of that shit in my life and I will not come home to it.” He dropped her hand.
“If something happens and you’re upset, if you’re hurting, you talk to me. That’s the only way this works. I screwed up. Twice. Once by scaring you and then by not talking to you. I see that now. I was so worried about putting enough space between us so you’d be comfortable, and I should’ve been talking to you about it.
“And do not put words in my mouth. I’ve told you about that before. You are not ugly. I’ve never said you were and I won’t tolerate anyone else saying it, either, not even you. You do not speak for me. You do not hit me. And you do not play games with me, especially not in our fucking bed.” He jabbed a finger through the air. “That bed is for you to come to me so I can love you. You do not drag your bullshit into it.”
Hayley’s mouth dropped open. “My bullshit?!”
“Yes, your bullshit! You know goddamn good and well I’ve never cheated on you, would never cheat on you! If you don’t know that, then you have no business coming to me in that bed. None at all. You can be mad at me for not telling you she showed up at the garage, but I’m not going to stand here and be accused of something you should know I would never do.”
Hayley’s eyes narrowed at him. “Well, why didn’t you tell me?” she shouted. “Why did you keep it from me? Why are you keeping anything from me at all? How come that’s not one of your rules?”