AllFreeNovel
Share Us
KARLI
Mason walks by the front desk where I’m sitting, and he doesn’t even glance in my direction.
I fake-type on my computer and try to pretend like it doesn’t sting. Just like it did the last three times.
My god, it stings. It really does.
These first few hours at work today have already been torture. If I thought there was tension between Mason and mebeforewe started sleeping together on a regular basis, I had no idea what was waiting for me around the bend once we stopped.
It’s bad enough that we have to bump into each other at home. In the hallway. Outside of the bathroom. In front of the refrigerator. But then we get to drive our separate cars to the medical clinic and bump into each other all day here, too.
Ireallyscrewed up. Royally.
I don’t know why the hell I didn’t tell the man that I love him, too. Because I do. With all my fucking heart, I do.
From the beginning, I tried fighting my feelings because, in our circumstances, there’s so very much at stake. But there’s no fighting an ache like this.
I want to learn from him, I want to teach him, I want to share everything I know with him. I want to fill every moment with the sound of him breathing. When he’s in pain, all I want is to find ways to make him feel better. When my eyes close, I see his infuriating smirk and his dazzling smile and that wicked hot way he frowns when he’s emptying inside me.
I love him, dammit.
My head is full of him. My heart is full of him. My soul is overflowing with the magic of Mason Westbrook.
But this feeling, it scares the bejesus out of me. I’m scared of admitting how I feel, because then it’ll be real. We’ll have to face the consequences of our secrets and our betrayal. We’ll have to come clean to ourselvesandto the people that we lied to. And everything in our world will change.
That sacrifice won’t be worth it in the end. Especially when Mason ultimately gets sick of me. When he leaves me—like I know he will—it’s going to shatter every last piece of my heart.
That’s why I’m holding back. That’s why I’m shielding my heart. That’s why I’m being a dramatic baby about this.
Mason thinks he loves me now, but once my defects start showing, once I screw up and fail like I always do, he’s going to run. I already know all that. So, I’m doing the only logical thing I can to protect us both—refusing to just toss logic to the wind and give in to Mason and his confused declarations of love.
Even if it hurts really freaking bad.
Besides, I shouldn’t even be considering a relationship when I don't even know what I’m doing with my life. Career comes first, right?
Well—family. Then best friends. Then career. Then health.Thenboys, right?
I’m so confused. I don’t know anything anymore.
“You okay?” Felix asks me, his expression concerned as he flips through the patient files on the edge of my desk.
I smile. It hurts. Smiling hurts. “Yeah. I’m great. Why?”
“You’ve been making mistakes all day. Sending patients to the wrong exam room. Staring off into space. And I haven’t seen you smile once.”
“I’m smiling right now,” I say, defensive.
My brother huffs at me. “Karli, that isn’t a smile. It’s a cry for help.”
Grr!“I’m fine. Just…life stuff.”
His eyes turn sympathetic. His voice drops low. “I know you’ve been going through a lot, sis. So I really appreciate you helping us out here at the clinic.” He hesitates. “I’ll say it even though I know you’re probably going to get all mad at me again—if you need help with anything at all, just let me know, okay? Even if it’s just to talk. Bounce some ideas around. Whatever you need.”
My brother is coming from a good place. He’s genuine. And I feel so guilty for betraying him. “Thank you, Felix. I’ll let you know if I need anything.”
He grins at me. “Now,there.That’s a real smile.” He tries to ruffle my hair and I have to elbow-jab him. He walks away, chortling.
I shake my damn head. So much for our sweet moment…
