AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I was the first to back away, needing to put some distance between us. After a few seconds, he reluctantly let me go. Still, I didn’t say anything because I didn’t know what to say.
I barely knew how to feel.
It had been too long.
Too many years of pent-up hatred for him bled out of me, mixing in with the confusion of why I still felt this strong pull to him.
He caressed the side of my cheek with the back of his fingers. “I can’t believe we’re running into each other here, of all places.” He smiled at me. “You look beautiful.”
I swallowed hard.
“But I’m not the only man who’s enamored by you. I see you still like to wear clingy fucking dresses that barely cover your body.”
Matching his rough tone, I repeated, “I can see you still like to dress like a cowboy. You know you’re in New York City, right?”
I zeroed in on him, reminiscing before his eyes. Despite the lust evident in his gaze, I could still see the pain he’d caused me floating through his predatory regard.
I shook away all the memories that could destroy me again. It took me years to get over him, years to forget about him, yet I still had trouble trusting men. The way he shattered my heart left a long-lasting impression. I had a considerable problem opening up to men and letting them into more than just my bed.
Ledger was why I kept every man at arm’s length, causing several relationship problems—particularly in my last one.
When Jonathan got too close, I cut him loose. I thought I could give him what he wanted. I tried so hard to love him like he did me, but I couldn’t. We played house, and I broke his heart in the process. He had to move to Italy for his international business for a few months, and that was the moment I realized I wasn’t in love with him.
I refused to get hurt again.
I barely survived it the first time.
Ledger may have kicked me out of his life, but it took me years to kick him out of mine. He took up permanent residence in my head for a long time, and I couldn’t for the life of me evict him.
I thought I had.
However, now…
I wasn’t so sure anymore. Not when he stood in front of me. I cleared my throat and swallowed hard again, my heart beating out of my chest.
Playing a game of cat and mouse, I baited, “Where’re you from?”
He didn’t miss a beat, replying, “Wyoming. You?”
“My home is this city.” I resisted the urge to remind him he was the one who brutally made me realize it was.
I didn’t expect him to counter, “I find that hard to believe.” As if he was purposely trying to take me back to another place and time, he reminded, “You can take the girl out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the girl. And you have cowgirl written all over your pretty little face.”
For a split second, I felt myself falling for him like the past didn’t exist between us.
“You here alone?” he asked.
“I’m here with a friend.”
“I don’t see your friend.”
“She left with some guy.”
“And you stayed by yourself?”
“I wanted to dance.”
“Isn’t that dangerous?”
