AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He was obviously taken aback, as I kind of was. “What—What do you mean pity sex? I don’t remember anything even remotely like pity sex.”
I’d spent so much of the night trying to steer clear of him and keep any and all thoughts about him at bay, that I must have pushed myself to the complete opposite without even realizing it. “You know, I was the ex-girlfriend at the bride's wedding. Of course, it was just for pity.”
“Pretty sure I remember it very differently.” Nico’s expression looked like one of hurt.
“Oh, and how did you picture it?” It seemed I was doubling down, and I knew I shouldn’t. I was boxing him in with everyone else. I was convincing myself that there was no way in hell he actually wanted to have sex with me—more than once.
“That there was a very gorgeous girl that I couldn't keep my eyes off of and then couldn’t keep my hands off.”
I felt a heat creep into my cheeks as I saw his smile widen. I couldn’t tell if he was just trying to sweet-talk me or not.
“I'm not kidding, Della.” he said as if he could read my mind.
So, I reacted the only way I knew how to. I tried to scoff again, and it came out more like a stuttering mess of a person.
“What—What?” I stuttered. “What are you talking about?”
Nico pressed against me, slipping his hand around my waist.
“Nico, why are you doing this? Why are you so close to me? And why are your hands around my waist?” I spun around, trying to get his hands to break away from me but instead, he kept ahold of me, this time, his hands were on my stomach.
“Seriously, Nico. This isn't cool.” I gulped, thankful I wasn’t facing him.
His hand flew off me like he'd just stuck it in the fryer. “Shit, Della, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to go this far. I know you don’t want to be with me. I just I just got caught up in my head.”
I was overcome with guilt. I wasn't trying to make him feel like he did anything wrong. He hadn’t really. I was just confused. Just the way his hands felt on my stomach took me right back to that wedding. And all the ways—and places—he touched me and how I felt. How euphoric all of it was.
I couldn't think about it anymore. I had to stop. I had to get away from him. It was the only way I was getting out of this unscathed.
“I forgot something of my car.” I blurted. “I'll be right back.”
I'm push past him as fast as I could trying to make an escape before I get him before I caved.
“Della? Where are—"
He dropped his question, realizing exactly what I was doing.
There was too much guilt in my head, though. To turn around and go back to him. Guilt for how I made him feel like he did something wrong. And now, guilty from running away instead of talking to him or anything.
Knowing what I had to do, I spun around, making my way back to him at the bar.
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“For running out just now. For making you feel like you did something wrong.” I dropped my voice. “And for accusing you of only having sex with me out of pity.
He stepped closer to me. Closing the already tight enough distance between us. And I could feel my heart racing.
“Look,” his voice was really low at first. “I tried. I tried to do what we both agreed we had to do. But I haven't stopped thinking about you. Just being here every day with you has been pure agony. Hell, I can’t get you off my mind when I’m home. And that’s the most dangerous time, to tell you the truth. I don’t have assholes snapping their fingers to distract me. And it’s fucking killing me, Della. I haven’t ever gone through this before. And I’m beginning to think that keeping distance and fighting all of this,” He gestured between us. “Is a mistake. So, I don’t care if that sounds cheesy, corny or any sort of ridiculous or not. I have to tell you this. Because I know you feel the same way, even though you’re suddenly putting up this defensive shit.”
“Look, I didn’t move thousands of miles away just to fall into another bad habit.”
“I’m a bad habit?”
“Yeah.”
“What does that even mean?”
