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He will think ive a shit anyht for it if I spend the rest of ht

TWENTY-TWO

DECISION

Melanie

"I want to go home"

Those are the first words that pop out of my mouth the next day when Greyson stands at my hotel room door, all in dark clothes, freshly sha aro hoht aboutour conversation and I just want to go home today"

That’s all I say

Not, hey Not good erbera daisy he’s loosely holding in his hand, like the one he pinned to the wall in my parents’ home Emotion seizes me as I remember that day, how real he was, how fun it was

Those who play together, stay together

That’s not true, Nana Sometimes men just play with you and break you

I can’t even say Greyson didn’t warn me

I feel like a vampire just sucked all the blood out of my heart as I open the door wider to let hidown on the coffee table as if he’s probably just realized I don’t want any presents I don’t even want to have a birthday

"Hey," Pandora greets hi table It’s the first time she doesn’t sound so hostile toward hi about it, she finally convinced me, and I convinced myself that he IS ALL WRONG FOR ME

But now that he’s close, it’s so hard to believe that

I can feel his grief as he follows me to my bedroom

My insides scream at me to launch myself into his arms and work it out How can we not work it out? He’s ownedhe is, has owned o or he will break me

I’m too much of a romantic; he’s too hardened, too cold hat he’s done all his life

When I close the door to my room, suddenly I turn, and he pullsit, instead er than we’ve ever kissed Minutes andinto his hard one, his hands holding ues move faster than ever, starved, as we memorize each other’s taste, the silkiness of our kiss Until he groans and yanks hi to pull up his walls again Walls I wrecked because I wanted him to love me He does I know he does It was in his touch and the desperation in his eyes right now, like he wants to letthe , hands in his pockets in that take-on-the-world stance of his that I love Every inch of e , his voice so raw it scrapes ’s what you want?"

"I’m sure," I say, my voice also like sandpaper

His voice breaks with huskiness when he adds, "Derek can drive you to the airport then"

"I can take a cab" I take a step toward hi hiloves he threw on the bed and lovingly take the to feel them one more time He turns and looks at me, and it cutseyes I drop

"Whoever you end up with, just know you were mine first A part of you will always be , the one who has everything you’re looking for, perfect, you’ll still beprincess and not any other’s"

My eyes water because his words hurt, the truth in theo, even that part"

"I could make you loveand set my head on his chest, and he inhalesand you’ll be s and then come back to make love to me, and I’ll be in heaven when I’m in your ar so up my curves "Every inch These hands kno to love you more than they kno to do what they do"