AllFreeNovel
Share Us
You could be more.
Everything in him rebelled at the thought. He could do what? Step into the place Jill was supposed to occupy? The thought made him feel like he was on the verge of a panic attack. Jill, cool, composed, brilliant Jill’s place couldn’t be filled that easily.
And it certainly couldn’t be filled by him.
You’re assuming Dad would even want you to try. You’re assuming Evie would want you.
Big assumptions.
Probably incorrect assumptions. And just as well.
“Morning,” he said, his voice as broken and graveled as he felt inside.
She sat up, not bothering to pull the blankets up over her pale breasts, the morning light casting a golden glow over her bare body. “Did you sleep well?”
“Yeah.”
“Are you okay?” she asked, frowning.
He didn’t like that he was so transparent to her. BS was his game. He was better at hiding his feelings than this. He’d gone out the night of the accident, straight from the hospital, and picked up a woman, laughed, smiled, fucked her senseless. Then he’d given her a kiss, walked out of her apartment, got into his car, laid in the backseat and cried for two hours. Alone. Not in front of anyone. Not ever.
He’d done much the same most nights since. Minus the crying. He didn’t do that every night. But sometimes.
So why did it feel hard now? Why did it feel like he couldn’t hide this from her? Because she’d been able to tell something was wrong the moment she’d arrived yesterday. And he hadn’t been able to hold it in. He hadn’t been able to protect himself.
Just like now.
“I’m fine,” he said. “But I think you’d better get up and get ready to leave, I have some things I need to do.”
She frowned. “It’s Sunday and you don’t do anything.”
“Well, I have plans today.”
“What plans?”
“Maybe take a hint, Evie. I’m not busy. I want you to go home.”
She jerked back like he’d slapped her across the face, and he felt like he had. He felt like the absolute worthless bastard he knew he was. But the alternative was baring his soul and he was damn sure not going to do that.
“What the hell is your problem, Caleb?” she asked, sliding out of bed, naked, beautiful and making his legs weak.
“Look, this is why I don’t have women spend the night. I want sex when I want sex, then I want to get on with my day.”
“Oh don’t hand me your bullshit and expect me to saythanks.That’s not what we have.”
“And you know that?” he asked, something dark and powerful driving him now. Something that tasted a lot like fear. “You know that because you’ve been with one other guy and had a long-term relationship? Wake up, pretty girl, this is a game for grown-ups. And I thought you knew the rules.”
“What? GTFO when you say and not a moment sooner? Hold you and make sure you aren’t alone when you beg me to, but then don’t get all needy?”
“Don’t bring that up. Don’t use it like that.”
“Why? Because you get to conveniently ignore that it happened and then act like I’m overstepping? No. No no no.” She started collecting her clothes. “I don’t know what your problem is.”
“This isn’t what I do,” he said, his heart raging. “I don’t do fights and feelings and responsibility to another person.”
“Too bad. Ihavefeelings. I have feelings for you and I’m all up in your bedroom, so they’re your problem.”
“I didn’t sign on for this.”
