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“Let go of me.” She shoved at him with her other hand.
“No.” He whipped her around, grabbed her other arm, and yanked her against his chest. He swooped down and kissed her before she could twist her head aside. He banded his arms around her, preventing her escape. She struggled, but he wouldn’t budge.
Rage filled her and she bit down on his mouth. Hard.
He reared his head back, but his hold didn’t soften. “What the hell! You bit me. What is wrong with you? Can’t you feel our chemistry?” A flush rose on his neck and his breath came in harsh pants.
With a howl, Zack flew off the back of the chair and latched onto Doug’s leg, digging his claws into his denim-clad thighs. He cursed and released her, pulling his arm back to strike her cat.
Adrenaline coursed through her, and she punched him in the face with all her strength. She stumbled backward, her hand throbbing, her breathing ragged. “Don’t you touch my cat, you bastard.”
He reached up and cupped his nose. “You broke my nose, you crazy bitch. You’re going to end up a bitter old lady with fifty cats.”
Nobody would accuse Doug of being handsome now. His sneer revealed his true colors. Ugliness dominated his face. Like The Picture of Dorian Gray.
“Living in a cave with two hundred cats would be preferable to another second in your pathetic presence. Get out, and if you ever come near me again, I’m getting a restraining order. Are we clear?” She pointed one shaking finger at him.
Doug backed toward the door and opened it with one hand, his rapidly blackening eyes spewing fire. “Try it and I’ll press charges for assault. You invited me in. You kissed me.”
“Get out or I’m calling the police.” The adrenaline drained out of her––the dramatic scene plowing into her like a Mack truck.
Without shutting the door, he turned tail and hurried to his car. Tires squealed as he retreated down the driveway. A pathetic coward to the end.
Sophie sank to her knees in the doorway as Doug’s car receded. Zack brushed up against her and settled in against her legs. Even his warmth couldn’t dispel the chill enveloping her.
CHAPTER22
After a few moments, she dropped her head back against the doorframe and kicked herself for letting him inside. What had she been thinking? Was it her ego? The need to hear him apologize one more time?
Funny, it hadn’t felt as good as she’d anticipated. In fact, an empty, disappointed void settled on her like a dark cloak. Tears wouldn’t even form––not that the jerk deserved another moment of emotion from her. She’d wasted time pining away for something that never truly existed.
But one thing was apparent––her original plan to take a year being single to heal her heart was the correct one. Because although she was truly over Doug, she hadn’t taken the time to grieve. To focus on herself, to rebuild her self-esteem, and to work on her dreams before getting involved with Nick. It wasn’t fair to her, and it wasn’t fair to Nick.
What if Nick had been with her when Doug stopped by? How would she explain that away? Sorry for the delusional ex-fiancé? Seeing Doug reminded her only a few months had passed since he’d deserted her at the altar. It was one thing to enter a new relationship with a carry-on bag but not a full set of luggage.
Carpe diem was one thing but was it really fair to Nick? He wasn’t a rebound––her love for him was real––but the timing felt off now.
Zack butted against her legs. She lifted her head and cuddled her cat close.
And Nick’s Beemer purred up the driveway. Perfect frickin’ timing.
He opened the door and hurried over to her, his eyes hidden behind mirrored aviators. “Sophie? What’s wrong? Who was that speeding down the driveway?”
Her gut clenched and the tiny hairs on the back of her neck lifted. If he’d stopped by five minutes earlier, he would have witnessed the nasty scene with Doug. What would he have done if he’d seen Doug kiss her?
Now her eyes filled, and she blinked away the moisture. Time to be strong, for both their sakes.
He reached one hand down and helped her to her feet. “Sophie, what’s going on?”
“Let’s go inside. We need to talk.” She turned, headed to the couch, and licked her dry lips. “Have a seat.”
Nick joined her but remained silent.
She exhaled a shaky breath and stared down at her clasped hands. “I think we should take a break.”
“A break?” Nick’s voice was neutral, not betraying any reaction.
She looked up from beneath her lashes and his expression was glacial. Her heart clenched. “Yeah, I just realized that we jumped into things really quickly and you know I’d planned on not dating for a year. It’s all moving too fast. I need to focus on writing my book and you’ve got a lot going on with your firm, too.”
