Page 142 of Pucking Rebound
Meant to be together?
Over?
“Complicated.” I finish her sentence and cradle her face in my hands. It’s over. Fuck, I feel the tension building in my chest enough to make it burst and I feel like I might cry.
She nods, her eyes filling with tears again as I drop my forehead to hers.
“Family first,” I agree. At the same time, my conscience is punching my brain, trying to knock some sense into me to beg her not to do this.
She nods. “I wanted to come here and tell you face to face, but I have to leave now, Jordy.”
Please stay.
“You know where I am if you need me, yeah? You don’t have to go through this all by yourself.” I kiss her forehead.
Since her father died, she’s been carrying herself like a queen when I know she’s barely holding it together.
“I have Kali and Piper.” She tucks her lips into her mouth to stop her bottom lip trembling.
Dark circles under her eyes, she looks pale. And she told me she keeps getting sick and can’t keep anything down.
“Did you go to the doctor today?” I’m worried about her.
“I didn’t.”
“You need to make an appointment tomorrow.” I would take her if she would let me, but she won’t.
“I’ll try. I’m sure I feel sick from stress,” she explains with a subtle nod. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about me being Wade’s sister.”
In silence, we stand there just looking at one another.
On tiptoes, she brushes her lips against mine, and I know this is our final kiss. She breaks our connection, looking horrified. “I’m sick. What if it’s not stress and I have something serious, and you catch it?”
I grab the belt loops on her jeans and pull her back. “I don’t care.”
One last time.
I kiss her. Pushing my tongue between the seam of my mouth, she hypnotizes me with her little licks and swirls as she twists hers around mine. It’s soft, full of unspoken words and unfilled wishes. I worship her mouth, worship her; the woman I never want to stop kissing. The girl I love sharing my day with, who is the first person I text every morning, night, and after every game.
“I have to go,” she says, breaking our kiss. “Because if you keep kissing me like that, I might end up staying.”
“Then stay.” I would get down on my hands and knees and beg if I thought I could change her mind.
She lifts her shoulders to her ears and shakes her head. “I can’t.” The warmth of her body leaves me feeling cold, her hand slipping out of mine as she heads for the elevator.
I place my hand on my chest, the pain unbearable as I watch her pick up her purse and keys, then press the call button, making the doors open.
“Will you call me?” I need to know she’s okay. Not talking to her every day will kill me over time. It’s killing me now.
“I’ll try,” she replies.
That wasn’t a yes.
She steps inside the elevator and holds the door open button, and I do everything in my power to stretch out our time together.
I pull my phone out of my back pocket and pull up the page I’ve been looking at. “I picked a funeral parlor.”
Her top lip rises into what looks like an Elvis curl as she wipes her nose with the back of her hand. “Huh? What for?”
