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Asher stood up to his full height of six foot three, and his gaze slid over her. “You mean other than the fact that you’re a professional bridesmaid, whose sole job is to flirt and look pretty?”
“That’s not fair or true. I organize most of the event, I am there for the bride, and I do not flirt with anyone.”
He didn’t respond right away. When he went to the fridge, and pulled out a beer, she wanted to say something about him having enough, but she bit her cheek.
“Not going to tell me it’s the middle of the day?”
“What would be the point? I would like to have an adult conversation though. You flew off the handle for no reason, and I want to know why. Why don’t you trust me?”
He popped the top as he sneered at her. “Maybe I’d trust you more if we’d had sex recently.”
Rylie swallowed. It was true that they hadn’t in a while, probably over a month, but it was hard to get excited when all Asher did was grab at her. No romance, no sweet words. Just a hand on her breast or between her legs and his heavy breathing against her neck.
Not the best way to get her in the mood.
“Maybe I’d want to have sex with you more if you weren’t acting like such a jerk.”
He took a long drink before he nodded toward the door. “And what, you think that guy is going to treat you better? That he’s after more than sex?”
Rylie’s cheeks burned. “This has nothing to do with him and everything to do with us. We aren’t happy, Ash. We haven’t been for a long time, and I think maybe we need to take a break.”
He blinked at her, like he couldn’t believe what she was saying. “You’re leaving me?”
Rylie took a strengthening breath, but it came out shaky. “Yes. I’ll come for my stuff after work. I’d appreciate it if you weren’t here.”
Asher set his beer down and turned away from her, gripping the side of the kitchen counter. The sunlight coming through the window hit his tan profile, his chocolate brown hair and strong jaw contoured in shadows and light. He was still handsome, but around his mouth were lines of bitterness. She’d known he’d been disappointed after he’d lost his football scholarship and come home, his back screwed up, but there had still been that charming, sweet guy underneath that first year or so.
As he faced her once more, red faced and wild, all traces of the man she’d fallen for were gone.
“You won’t leave.”
The cold, hard inflection in his tone was like a slap, but she steeled herself. This had been a long time coming, and she wasn’t going to back down or cave now.
She was done being a doormat.
“I am.”
“You have nowhere to go.”
“I’ll find a place.”
“What about the money you owe me?” he asked cruelly.
She reeled back. Asher had helped her with some of the bills for her dad, but when she’d tried to pay him back, he’d told her she didn’t owe him anything. That helping out someone you loved was just part of the gig.
Obviously, that sentiment had only been in effect if they were still in love.
Refusing to let him see her hurt, she gave him a curt nod. “I’ll leave it on the table when I pick up my stuff.” It would eat into her savings, but if it meant a clean break from him, so be it.
As if he finally realized she was serious, his face crumpled and he took a step toward her, reaching out to her. “Babe, I’m sorry. I know I have been a dick, I am a dick, but don’t…don’t leave me. I need you.”
The tears in his eyes didn’t affect her the way they always had. She knew that they were just a manipulation to make her stay; if he was really sorry, if he really cared, he would have changed long before today.
Rylie moved out of his grasp, shaking her head. “No, Asher. It’s over.”
She walked away from him and opened the door, refusing to give him any more time to change her mind, and stepped into the sunshine. Her stride grew lighter the closer she got to Dustin, who was leaning against his car, waiting for her.
Suddenly, Dustin pushed off his car, his face a mask of concern. Before she realized he was moving toward her, her arm was caught in a painful vise grip. She was swung around like a ragdoll, her head snapping at the velocity. When the world finally stopped spinning, she stared up into Asher’s twisted features, too surprised to be afraid.
