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I’d had a couple of hours.
That was typical.
Because then it always came down tothis—I waved a mental hand at the disbelief on his face. I knew from experience that soon enough the disbelief would become disgust.
So, I did what I could.
I grabbed tight to my spine and yanked it firmly in place.
Protect your flank, Billie girl.
Words Gran had told me more than once, usually over spoonfuls of cookie dough while I told her about my troubles.
I’d become an expert at that even before I’d been on the receiving end of that advice, a fuckingprofessionalat it.
Because my dad was my dad.
Because men were men.
So…I put those skills to work. Thenandnow.
“Thanks for the orgasm,” I said lightly, brushing my hair out of my face and spying a hair tie on my wrist.
Perfect.
I swept my locks up, letting my gaze go unfocused, wanting to avoid his eyes, his face. Something I failed at because he startled when I spoke and I instinctively looked back at him, and, yup,therewas the disgust.
My lungs squeezed.
Tight.
Fuck.
But I held on to my spine and stayed calm and steady, forcing my tone to remain light as I made an offer I knew he wouldn’t take me up on, but one that would save me from thisfeeling.Lips turning up, I jerked my head down toward his waist. “Need one in return before I get the hell out of here?”
He recoiled, lips pressing flat, nose wrinkling.
Ouch.
I mean, I’d known what the answer was going to be, but...the truth always stung.
“Right then,” I said, my lungs convulsing. I shoved him back, not missing the fact that he didn’t hesitate to put distance between us, even though he outweighed me by at least a hundred pounds. I couldn’t move him on my own.
Not unless hewantedto be moved.
Another feeling to bury.
Another night to forget.
I used the brief window of time of me crawling out of Joel’s bed to spot my clothes. Shirt in the corner of the room, jeans crumpled on the floor right next to the mattress, socks and shoes scattered nearby, my bra a few feet away.
No underwear, but I’d worry about that in a minute.
First, I grabbed my shirt and yanked it over my head. Then, not spotting my underwear in the five seconds I allowed myself to look for it, I yanked my jeans up over my bare ass, went to work on my socks and shoes.
Thirty seconds later I was dressed.
I didn’t have my car.
