Page 70 of Unbearable
“Yes, I am.” I nod, taking a slice of pizza and placing it on the plate in front of me.
It’s about five minutes of silence before I catch him staring at me, a grin tugging at the corner of his lips.
“What?” I ask before taking another bite of pizza, wondering why he’s smiling at me.
Tyler full-on smiles. “You got sauce on your face.”
I notice I have it on my thumb too so I lick it off and moan just because.
His head falls forward on to the table dramatically.
“What?”
He peeks up at me with just his eyes, the rest of his head hidden by his forearm. “You’re teasing me.”
“You’re such a guy. How am I teasing you?”
He chuckles. “You’re making it look illicit.”
“It’s not my fault your mind is always dirty.”
Sitting up as we both laugh, he reaches one hand across the table, his long fingers passing over mine.
I pull my hand away, trying to hold my ground. The things he said to me were hurtful and I can’t believe he’d think I would just fall right back into this trap.
“I missed you,” he says. It’s becoming a habit. Piss me off, flirt, tell me he misses me and then fuck me in the bathroom. I’m certainly not fucking him in this bathroom though. No way. I give the dingy pizza joint a glance.
Nope. Not happening in here.
He’s comfortably slouched in the booth where we’re sitting, his long arm draped over the back of the seat. The neon lights of the pizza sign above his head bathe his dark hair with a glow, and there’s a small smile playing on his lips. I literally want to jump across the booth and hump him. But I don’t.
“I’m not some girl you can fuck around with and then she’s there waiting for you when you’re ready,” I tell him. “I’m better than this, Tyler. I’m not going to have sex with you this time.”
He’s taking a drink of his beer when I say that, about the time a waiter walks by too so Tyler naturally chokes on the drink he’d just taken.
“Sorry,” I mumble, my cheeks flushing.
“I agree.”
I blink, twice. “What?”
“You’ve never been a girl I can fuck and walk away from, despite my behavior. Don’t you see that?” His brow twists. “That’s why I’m here. I can’tnotwant you.”
Is he serious?
“What do you mean you can’t not want me? What about my drama? I told you what I wanted and you slammed a door in my face. It’s too late for us. I came here because I think we need to stop whatever this is between us.”
He’s shocked by that. Maybe it’s the too late words, but still, he seems a bit shocked. “Don’t say that. It’s not too late.” He shakes his head, his eyes intent on mine. “It can’t be. I’m sorry for what I said. I didn’t mean it, Raven.”
I cross my arms over my chest, only because it makes me appear more intimidating. “You’re telling me you didn’t mean anything you said that day?”
He considers his words and then says, “At the time I thought I did, but now I realize I was scared of my feelings for you so I didn’t say what I wanted to say.” I say nothing in reply.
Tyler then stiffens a bit, taking a sharp breath. But he lets it out easily and asks, “Raven, why are you really doing this?” His blue eyes meet mine, waiting on an answer.
I grimace. “Because, I have to protect my heart. You broke it and for once, I’m putting me first. I deserve more than what you and Holden put me through.” I don’t offer anything else.
“Youcan’tcompare me to him,” he mumbles, his voice like gravel ripping my wounds open.
