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“What has gotten into you?”
“Just a question.”
“No, you’re being deliberately…” I trailed off.
“What? C’mon, say it.”
“An asshole,” I whispered furiously. Things had been a little strained when he’d dropped me off today but nothing that would warrant this.
“This is the real me, Helena. Half the time I’m dirty and sometimes even bleeding.”
“And I don’t care about that.”
“Unless someone is around that you might know?”
“Evidently, you have some sort of hangup or you’re spoiling for a fight. Not me.”
“I’m not the one hiding in the hallway.” He advanced on me, edging me into the mouth of the atrium. “What if I kissed you right here?”
“Right now, I don’t want you to kiss me. I don’t even want to be next to you when you’re being like this. I don’t know what happened between this morning and now, but maybe you should go soak your head.”
“And maybe you should head back to the city.”
I lifted my chin. “Is that what you want—for me to go? Are you sick of me, now that you got what you wanted?”
Was he really just like every other man I’d known? Was I just lust drunk ever thinking he was different?
“Maybe we’re just staving off the inevitable.”
I swallowed against a lump in my throat. I would not cry in front of him. I wouldn’t cry in front of any man again.
Orabouta man for that matter.
This wasn’t the same man who’d loved me all night long. There was no way I could call it anything else. Sex was one thing, but the way he’d owned and cherished me was something more. Or at least I’d thought it was.
Maybe I really was naïve.
“Then I’ll keep out of your way until I’m done with this party. Because whether you like it or not, I don’t shirk my responsibilities.”
He flinched as if I’d slapped him, then he backed up a step and turned on his heel. A moment later, I heard the door to the garden bounce open and slam closed.
I closed my eyes and sagged against the wall. Then I heard voices again and I rushed into the bathroom.
“What the hell was that?” Bells was right inside the door and stumbled back as I came in.
“Listening?”
“Of course, I was listening!”
I laughed, well aware it sounded a little manic. I went to the sink to run the water over my wrists again. Dammit, I needed to just calm down for a second. I filled my hand with soap and lathered and scrubbed at the dirt under my nails, then I lowered my face to splash off the streak of dirt I had on my cheek as well.
Bells stood next to me with towels.
“Thanks.”
“Sure.” She leaned a hip on the counter. “Care to share what that was all about?”
“I don’t know.”
