Total pages in book: 30
Estimated words: 27770 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 139(@200wpm)___ 111(@250wpm)___ 93(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 27770 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 139(@200wpm)___ 111(@250wpm)___ 93(@300wpm)
The ride home from my day job at Ward Enterprises goes by quickly and I arrive at my apartment in record time. I don’t have to work at Society X tonight, but in a way, I wish I was so I can get my mind off Brent. After our failed date, I wonder if he’ll even say goodbye before he goes back to Texas. I really want to see him again, but I don’t want my heart to feel any more pain. I’ve never had such strong feelings for someone in such a short amount of time, but with Brent, it’s different. We grew up together and he’s still the same guy I cared about back then. A part of me believes he was my first love.
I walk up the three flights of stairs to my apartment and breathe a sigh of relief when I get inside.
“I think it’s going to be a Ben and Jerry’s night,” I say as I set my purse down on the kitchen counter. But first, I have to get out of the turtleneck sweater I had no choice in wearing today.
I start toward my bedroom, but then a knock sounds on my door, thunderous and urgent.
“Scotlyn, it’s me! Please, I have to talk to you!”
It’s Brent.
My heart begins to race and the breath hitches in my lungs. He knocks again and I stop at the door, my hand resting on the knob. I want to open it but I can’t.
“Scotlyn, I know you’re in there. I pulled in and saw you walking up the stairs,” Brent says, his voice tired.
Still, I don’t open the door. I don’t want to tell him goodbye and watch him walk away.
He knocks again, only this time it’s very faint.
“Please, Scotlyn . . . I don’t want things to end this way.” A few seconds pass and I can hear his strangled sigh as he breathes out. “I’m falling in love with you.”
The words are barely above a whisper but I hear them.
I open the door so fast it startles him, and he steps back. Our eyes instantly connect, and I can’t seem to look away from him.
“What did you say?”
Brent slowly steps toward me and holds up his hands. I’ve never seen him look so defeated. He looks just as miserable as I feel.
I step back so Brent can come inside.
“I said I’m falling in love with you, Scotlyn,” he repeats. He shuts the door and reaches for me, but I step back.
All of the pent-up sadness in my gut resurfaces. “Brent, why would you even say that? This will never work. My life is here and yours is in Texas.” A tear slides down my cheek and I hastily wipe it away. Brent tries to reach out to me again, but I hold up a hand. “All you’ve done since coming to town is make me want things I can’t have.” More tears flow down my cheeks. “I need you to leave, Brent. The more I see you, the more it angers me. Now go.”
Without even thinking, I turn on my heel and storm to my bedroom, slamming the door behind me. I rip off my turtleneck and throw it on the floor, revealing the Society X necklace around my neck and something else I was trying to hide.
I don’t want Brent to hear me cry so I bite my lip and stare at myself in the mirror. My cheeks are flushed and my eyes are red. All I want is for the ache in my chest to go away.
I keep waiting to hear my apartment door open and shut but it doesn’t come.
“Brent, leave!” I shout.
His voice is right by my bedroom door. “Not going to happen, Scotlyn. You see, I came here to tell you how I feel and I’m going to do that. I wanted to tell you last night, but you didn’t give me a chance.”
“What does it matter? You’re leaving.”
The door to my bedroom swings open and I cross my arms over my bare chest, quickly hiding the spot on my neck as Brent bursts in.
“What the hell are you doing?” I gasp in shock.
Brent’s eyes widen for a moment but then he never takes his gaze from mine. “You know I’m not the kind of guy to do this, but I need you to hear me out.” He marches over and clasps my arms in his gentle grasp. It feels so familiar, and it makes me ache to feel his hands on other parts of my body. “I’m in love with you, Scotlyn. Being around you makes me so goddamn nervous I can’t think straight. I would’ve told you sooner, but I didn’t think I was the kind of guy you wanted. I mean, look at me. I’m a fucking computer nerd and you’re . . .” He rakes his possessive gaze down my body, and it makes me tremble. “You’re just perfect.”