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“Of course, whatever it is, you can talk to ht of her with another guy pisses me off and makes me want to punch him I know I haven’t spent as much time with her as say a fiancé would, but I care about her

She hits pause on the show and turns into ive ether sinceMy first kiss, ot older, he would put s He would, ya know…God, this is so e We would fool around but it never went further than kissing and touching on occasion Eventually we had sex, but it wasn’t that all-consuined Then he cheated on me… and I walked away Noants to talk”

A knock on the door interrupts her story I get up and pay the guy while she gets plates ready We get our slices and settle back on the couch

“Any man that would ever step out on you or even look at another woman when

he had you is an utter fool Hattie Mae, I have seen you You’re kind, smart, and so damn beautiful Any man would be lucky to have you”

“I guess that was the problem, he didn’t want me He wanted someone else” She looks away from me “The day I picked upsome dude outside of our apartment”

I was not expecting that, at all, but it explains why a irl like Hattie “Dah But youto do with you It doesn’twith you You know that, don’t you?” I scratch the back of my neck, unsure what to do or say I’d love to kiss her and show her that a man would appreciate what she has to offer Fuck, I’d show her that I could appreciate her Make her feel wanted Show her desire

“I do know that, Zane You know that night I first came here, when I kissed you? It was because I wanted to see if I could get a rise out of a ht now, but it so damn sexy

I brush her hair back frootten and I a cold

“What kind of e to claih, but God do I want to kiss her again

She turns her face toward o for it but then she cuts ets cold,” she says, grinning and starts the show back

Her phone continues to vibrate, and she eventually powers it off and shuts down any further conversation about this ex of hers I feel that I should say or do more, but I don’t want to push and freak her out

The way I feel about Hattie is strong, but I don’t kno she feels about this ex of hers and if it hasto trust anyone I decide to keep my mouth shut and enjoy my ti relaxed and comfortable with me

By the end of the third episode, she is asleep on my lap and I hate toinventory I slide out froh Her aro into her room and take the blanket from her bed to cover her with and I turn the TV off for her Flipping the lights off, I lock her door froht, Hattie,” I say quietly into the night

Chapter 14