AllFreeNovel
Share Us
DELETE!!!
I stare at the empty text box.
Actual Me Text: Great. See you soon.
Val looks tired when he peeks into the room, laptop in hand. Cute, because he always looks cute, but tired. Guess the night wasn’t good for him, either.
His ball cap is off today, so his messy dark hair looks particularly tempting. I never told him this because our crushing was still a secret back then, but his new haircut from a few weeks ago is sexy as heck. The longer layers on top are the perfect length for gripping in the heat of passion, while the buzzed fade on the sides allows for the fun of tickling your fingers over the soft stubble. Having the chance to finally indulge in the fantasy yesterday makes this whole fiasco so much worse. All I want to do is climb in his lap and play with his hair (and other things). Instead, I’ll be lucky if he ever lets me touch him again. Plus, the sweatpants. I don’t know what it is with hot men in sweatpants, but he really shouldn’t wear them if he doesn’t want me lusting.
“Hey. Thanks for coming,” I say.
“Of course. Thanks for inviting me.”
So formal.
I feel a rare frown settle over my face.
You’re in love with this man and engaged to another you can’t stand.
That would make anyone frown, I guess.
I rub my palms on my yoga pants. “Would you, uh, like some alm…?”
I stop at the expression on his face. He probably doesn’t want almonds.
“I don’t love Jarvis,” I blurt out.
“I know.”
“Oh.”
I bite my lip and watch his fingers tighten around the laptop. They should be touching me instead. I should be enjoying the heat of his body, the taste of his lips that got to be mine for five whole minutes. Funny how I did everything I could to prevent Jarvis from sitting beside me in this same scenario, and now I’m doing everything I can to encourage Val.
But he doesn’t budge, so I’m stuck in the middle of a couch, staring up at him as he waits for me to explain why I’m engaged to someone else.
“I panicked.”
He stays quiet as his gaze sifts over my face.
“I told him not to do it, but then there were the dancers and the feathers and the horrific A-A rhyme scheme and I just… I don’t know what happened.”
“You said yes. That’s what happened.”
I wince. “Yeah, but I didn’t mean yes.”
“Right. So by yes you meant no?”
His jaw clenches, and I chew on my nail again. When his attention shifts to the jewelry case on the table, I cringe at the obnoxious ring glaring from the top pouch. I don’t know how many carats that diamond is but it would feed a family of rabbits for a week. Pretty sure Jarvis told the jeweler to take their five most ridiculous rings and smoosh them together. Then had them add a gold twig for some reason.
“I told him yesterday we’re not a couple,” I say in a pleading tone. “I will tell him again today. I’ll tell him every day. The whole world, even! I don’t care about my career anymore. It’s not worth these games and lies. I just want you, Val. You and the music are the only real things in my life. I’m so sorry.”
I hold my breath as his eyes follow the path of his finger along a seam of the couch.
“Say something. Please.”
He sighs and looks up. “What do you want me to say, Larinda?”
“Anything!”
