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My ears are buzzing from the blood pumping through my veins, and it takes everything in me to hold back. I force myself to inhale a deep breath, look down at the hand holding onto me, and slowly raise my gaze to meet Vanessa’s eyes.
“He’s not worth it,” she repeats.
“But you are,” I rasp.
Her eyes turn wide as saucers, and I can see her throat work as she swallows, a dusting of pink covering her cheeks.
Vanessa ducks her head, avoiding my gaze. I lift my hand, sliding my finger under her chin, and gently lift it, so she’s looking at me.
She really doesn’t see it.
“You’re worth it, Vanessa.” I slide my finger over the inside of her wrist, feeling the goosebumps rising on her soft skin. “He has no right to talk to you that way.”
“I’m not even sure what he wants. It’s not like I did anything wrong.”
“You didn’t.”
Her lips press in an unhappy line. “It makes me so angry.”
“That’s normal. I still think you should have let me go after him. I could have held him while you threw the punches.”
The corner of her lips twitches upward. “As satisfying as that would be…”
“Very,” I chime in.
Vanessa rolls her eyes. “As satisfying as that would be,” she repeats, “I’m not stooping down to his level.”
“I guess there’s something in that. Although, not nearly as satisfying as it would have been to kick his cheating ass.”
She starts to pull her hand back, but I wrap my fingers around hers, holding her hostage. We were interrupted once before, but I wasn’t done with our conversation. Not just yet.
“About earlier…”
“Quinn,” she sighs, her gaze darting away. “I meant what I said. I’m really sorry about…”
“I don’t want your apologies,” I interrupt her.
She turns to me, her brows pulling together. “You don’t?”
“Not unless you’re apologizing about sneaking out of my bed the morning after and avoiding me ever since.”
“But…”
“I meant what I told you that night, Vanessa.” I move closer, dropping my voice lower. I lift my free hand, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. “I’ve wanted to. For years now, I’ve wanted you. And I’m not sorry in the least that you used me, as you put it. On the contrary, you won’t hear me complain about it at all.”
“You don’t mean that.”
“I think I’ll be the judge of that, and since I just said it…”
“You can’t mean that.” She shakes her head. “Right now, my life is a mess, as you just saw.”
“I don’t see how that has anything to do with us. I thought you had a good time.”
“I did,” she whispers, a shiver running through her body. “But I’m not in the right mind space to date, Quinn. Not after everything that has happened. I have to dedicate my time to myself. Figure out what I want.”
“You seemed to know exactly what you wanted that night.”
Her cheeks heat at the innuendo, pupils dilating. Is she thinking about it too? The way her body felt pressed against mine. How hot and wet she was for me? The way she called out my name as I made her come?
