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"I’m not her keeper, man The woman does what she wants" He didn’t move, but his body radiated coiled tension I keptto look up at Riley

"Ember, please, let me explain!" He took a step toward Josh, but the si back I didn’t want to knohat Josh’s face looked like to get that kind of reaction out of the fearless Riley

"I’m not really sure there’sat hih of his face when it was contorted with lust "I think I saw everything I needed to know"

"You’ve been distant this week" What a lame-ass excuse "I just needed so led to another It didn’t aze away fro Riley’s eyes I will not cry I will not break down "A year, Riley?" My voice trailed off because I couldn’t speak past the mountain-sized lump that had formed there "We’re done!" I choked it out and bit down onto feel the pain

"You know about" He shook his head and launched back into his tirade "I needed someone, Ember! I needed someone to care about me! Where have you been? You’ve been so wrapped up in your fa on in irlfriend anywhere!" Riley shouted

"She doesn’t look irlfriend," Josh drawled slowly

Riley swung, but only connected with Josh’s hand as he caught the attempted punch

Josh didn’t miss His fist busted into Riley’sRiley flew backward, landing in the snow Josh stood over hiet up"

Blood stained the back of the ivory sleeve as Riley wiped his mouth "What? Afraid I’ll kick your ass?"

Josh let loose a wry smile "Nawh Afraid I’ll end up in jail when I fuck up that pretty little face of yours" Did Riley pale? It looked like it from here "As December said, we’re done here"

A small spark of satisfaction pushed back er chokedin silence The trip lasted about fifteen minutes, into a nice but not-quite-as-nice-as-Riley’s area outside Breckenridge Our cabin was more secluded, and the bonus was that Riley wouldn’t be there

How could he and Kayla do this? How could I not see it happening in front of o beneath-the-belt with h my stomach as we pulled up the driveway in front of the cabin My sto "Letthe door wasn’t locked Josh raced around the Jeep, opening the door and lowering me down in one sed a few feet away through the heavy mess before I lost o of ht I had in the world I had the common sense to back up a few feet before I fell to

I screameds in an icy reminder that this was not a dream No more dreams They had frozen and shattered the moment I opened that damned door Every carefullycertain left Not Riley Not Dad Not even Mom

"What else do you want?" I screaive! Are you done withly, horrendous sobs

A wared to Josh He liftedme up to the cabin

"No" I forced out, and he stopped "I need to walk" His aro, but he gently setfootsteps crunched through the snow

One foot in front of the other, I made it the last ten feet to the door The snoas packed, leaving a hard crust on top, but I relished the difficulty because it re this, the pain, the chill, the strain of

I pulled the keys froht switch brought the cabin to life in all lory The door opened into a small mudroom, where our skis still stood propped in their holders fro room and turned up the thermostat to a respectable level The stove whooshed from the corner as the propane kicked in and the flaone out That was so rooly over the enlarged canvas print of our faers tingled, feeling seeping back in, hearing his laugh as surely as if he’d been standing there next to ht, in love Now she was a hollowed-out shell of the person in this picture