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My brain registered two things at once He was interested induh I mean, he’d had his hands in my pants more than once, so yeah, I should’ve known that But he compared me to his dad, a man I’d recently discovered he pretty much loathed, which pretty much canceled out the first part Hurt invaded every cell and festered under the skin The back of my throat burned and I wanted to rush away

But I didn’t "That kind of h cauess it kind of does"

My hand shook as I lifted the bottle, but I didn’t take the drink I just stared down at it, hurt and angry and a thousand other ein to sort out "Thenon that instead of onhabits"

"Did you ever think it’s because I care?" Pushing off the island, he angled his body toward mine "Has that ever crossed your hed, and then I did take a drink "Was it between fucking randonored nored you?" His eyes narrowed "I didn’t want you to be unco this conversation?" I interrupted, and anger--that ugly, red-hot feeling--sank its claws in me "It’s stupid, and I’d appreciate it if you’d oing to mind my own business after what happened between us?"

My laugh came out like a snort "Why wouldn’t you? Doesn’t see It doesn’t ood ti"

Tanner stared at me as his lips thinned and frustration flashed across his face "No wonder you’ve been single the entire ti away

An icy hand trailed down my chest and fisted inhis hand up in a wide circle "You’re always fucking drunk, and when you’re not, you’re actually a decent person to be around But that shit doesn’t last long enough to put up with this mess"

Chapter 17

Andrea

I couldn’t hin deep, below the muscles and bone I stared at him as this God-awful burn started in the pit of ed there

I wanted to fire back with so clever I wanted to act like his words didn’t bother ht didn’ta ue to work It was glued to the roof of my mouth and his face had started to blur