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Damn. She’d forgotten he had the uncanny knack of remembering everything. Mr. “I never open a book” himself.
“Yes,” she answered, her voice wavering.
Dammit, this was not a good time to get all emotional. And why was she all worked up over this anyway?
As they grew closer to her apartment, she found herself getting even more irrationally angry. If she didn’t get out of this car and away from him, she was going to scream or cry. Whatever came first.
From their stupid deal tonight, to his kisses that made her weak, and then reliving the past with Penn, to the car she couldn’t afford to fix sitting in a hotel parking garage, and now this ride home—it was all simply too much.
He swung the car into the dimly lit apartment parking lot and into a space.
“Thanks for the ride. Good night.” Holly wrenched the door open and practically jumped from the car, then hurried toward her building, anxious to get away from him and this entire night.
She heard him kill the engine and open his car door, and she walked faster.
“Holly, hold up,” he called. “Wait a second.”
“No. I really have to go.”
He caught up with her and gently grasped her upper arm. When he turned her around, concern lit his light brown eyes. “What’s going on? Is everything okay?”
To her horror, what flew out of her mouth was nothing that she ever expected.
“Why did you do it?” she asked, her voice cracking. “Why, Eli?”
He released her, a confused look on his face. “Do what? Tell off those guys back at the station? Like I said—”
“No,” she said, forcing her voice to remain calm. “After we slept together in college, why did you blow me off?”
His brows shot up in the air as he stared down at her. “What? Wait a minute—”
“No. I’m tired of waiting,” she broke in. “It’s been seven years. That’s long enough.”
Eli ran a hand down over his beard and gave her a helpless look. “Jesus, Wilkes, that was a lifetime ago.”
Holly turned away, then bit down on her lip. She knew she sounded crazy, dragging up the past in this way. But it didn’t change the fact that she wanted to know why he did it.
That sheneededto know why.
Penn was right. She was never going to be able to write this article if they didn’t resolve what had happened between them.
When she turned back around, his eyes were watchful and wary, and for some reason, it was like being knifed in the heart all over again.
“You told me tonight that you’ve never wanted anyone like you want me,” she said, studying him.
“Yeah, and I meant every fucking word.”
“Do you realize that you said those exact words to me seven years ago, Eli? Tell me, did you mean it then, too?”
He paused, the wary look returning. “Holly—”
“I need to know why you did what you did.”
Raking a hand through his hair, he shook his head, then looked off into the distance. “It was seven years ago, Holly. I don’t fucking know, okay?”
“I don’t believe you,” she accused. “I think you knowexactlywhy, but you aren’t telling me.”
“Jesus Christ. You’re bringing up ancient fucking history,” he said hotly. “When we reconnected last year, I told you I was sorry for what happened.”
