He stepped closer and, surprisingly, she didn’t amble backwards which made him happy.
“I’ll be more understanding,” he said. “More supportive. If work is what you need, then do that. Be CEO. Run the world. I’m not stopping you, babe.”
“You don’t get it.” He didn’t have a clue how far off the mark he was.
“Okay so explain it to me, Nina. I can’t read your mind.”
She looked at him, and for the first time, he saw how tired she was. It wasn’t in a sleep deprived way, but sadly, she looked tired… of his ass.
“You don’t want me,” she said quietly. “You like the idea of me.”
His face changed. “That’s not true.”
“It is.”
“No, it’s not yo!” he argued back.
“You like having me. You get a kick out of knowing I’m yours. You like that I make you feel like there’s something good in you. You look better with me standing beside you. It gives your ego a boost that you never experienced before. You like the idea that a woman like me would choose a man like you…” She spoke her truest thoughts. Fuck, her therapist would be jumping for joy right now if she were a fly on the wall.
Jio stared at her intensely. The man was breathing so hard that she wanted to ask if he needed some fresh air or an inhaler.
“But wanting me?” she continued. “The real me? The ambitious me? The version of me that needs space, boundaries, peace, and purpose? I don’t think you know how to properly want her.”
For once, Jio had to absorb her words before responding.
When he did, his voice was guttural, “I want you.”
Nina looked away. She had to stay strong no matter how hard it was. She had to stop giving in all because his wordplay was captivating. His actions weren’t consistent and that was the problem. She was too grown to keep chasing highs only for them to fade after a week or two.
“I need you,” he added.
Her eyes closed briefly.
“So now what?” he whispered. “Why you making this difficult for me, baby?”
Nina’s eyes filled with tears she refused to let fall.
“Because I have made it wayyyyy too easy for you.”
She reached for the wagon handle again and pushed it toward him.
“I love you,” she said. “But I need to be alone right now.”
His jaw flexed. “Nina.”
“I’m sorry, Jio.”
He shook his head. “Nah, you don’t get to leave me.” He wasn’t accepting her departure.
“I need space to focus on my career. I need to remember who I am without you in the room.” She pounded on her chest, praying that he would at least try to understand where she was coming from.
“Shit, okay, that’s fine. I’ll stand outside the room!” he suggested because he would do anything to keep his position.
“You don’t even see that you’re still trying to decide where you get to be.” She gave him a weakened smile.
Jio looked wounded, but she was too.
For a moment, the lobby disappeared, and all Nina saw was the man beneath the armor trying to understand why love was not enough to excuse everything he’d done and didn’t do.
