[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
you call that if it s not a relationship?
It s different! That s friendship. I m talking about a romantic relationship where
we can t keep our hands off each other. Where all we can think about is seeing the other
person or talking to the other person and everything else in our life falls by the
wayside.
That s not a romance, that s an obsession. It shouldn t work that way. Not when
two people really love each other. I would never try to hold you back.
Right. We ve really proven there s a difference here, haven t we. Once again she
gestured at the fact they were in bed together. How many times have we had sex in the
last few days? Have we done anything else but spend every moment we can together,
having sex?
I ve spent two years doing everything I can with you, except having sex, he
argued, his eyes flashing with anger. Would it really be so bad to live together so you
can go to school full-time? I ll stay, or you can come to Florida. Don t just throw this
us away.
Jane closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to keep calm. It would be so
easy to say yes, so easy to let someone take care of things so she could focus on her
career. So easy and so wrong. It s not the right time. Even if I go to school full-time, I m
looking at years before I could dedicate myself to a relationship.
We re going around in circles. He reached out and smoothed a lock of hair back
from her face. Take a leap, Jane. Let me love you.
Her emotions warred so hard in her that she almost threw up. Above all, one truth
rang clear. I made a promise that I won t find myself in the same situation as before.
He jerked as if she d sucker punched him. That s not fair. I ve never tried to
control you like he did. I love you and one of the things I love most about you is your
strength. I would never try to prevent you from achieving your goals.
33
Dalton Diaz
That s exactly what you re trying to do right now by telling me you love me two
days before you re due to leave! Look me in the eye and tell me that s not intended to
make me want to drop everything and go with you.
I can see why you think that. I really can. But that s not the case and I did offer to
stay. God, Janie, don t you see? If you re too scared to make a commitment because of
what your relationship with him turned into, isn t he still controlling your happiness?
This isn t about him!
He was quiet for a heartbeat. Isn t it?
Son of a bitch! I want you to leave now, Marcus. We re done here.
Shit. We re both angry and we shouldn t be. Just talk to me. It ll be okay, I
promise.
You don t do too well with promises, Marcus. If you did, we wouldn t be having
this awful conversation right now instead of sticking to making memories.
Hey!
Just. Go, she said through gritted teeth.
Janie
GO! The word was shouted loudly enough to shut him up. Oh god, if he made
her cry again she might hate him. This was hard enough, why wouldn t he go?
He got up and dressed in silence. Jane stayed put with her eyes closed, just wanting
it to be over. She felt awful and it didn t help when he came back to the bed and stood
there until she opened her eyes.
His eyes glittered with moisture, his expression equal parts pain, anger and defeat.
She knew defeat had won out when he kissed her tenderly and said, I love you, Janie.
Then he walked out the door.
34
Stray Lovers
Chapter Five
One year later
Jane hung up the phone in shock, her eyes drawn to the piece of paper in her hand.
The one from her college with a big fat zero in the Amount Due column. According to
the bursar s office, her entire bill for the B.S. in human biology she d just earned was
completely paid off by a Marcus Hill. On a whim, she d dug through her paperwork to
find her last loan statement and called them.
Also paid off by Marcus Hill.
Jane backed up until she felt the couch hit her calves and she sat down hard. There
was no reason for him to have done this. None at all.
When he d left a year ago, it had been hard to get back into her normal routine.
He d been such an integral part of her life and she missed him, especially when she
brought an animal to the vet clinic to be greeted by Dr. Michelle Dalmas, the perfectly
nice veterinarian who d replaced Marcus.
It just didn t feel right.
She d finally called him six months ago and admitted she was sorry for the way
they d parted. Not that she was wrong, or that he was either, but she was the one who d
pushed for them to sleep together even if it ended up hurting more when he left. Yes,
his parting words had stung but what broke her heart was seeing and feeling the
finality to their friendship.
Calling him had been the right thing to do. He had been genuinely glad to hear
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]