Page 87 of Fall Apart

“Alright. Istand corrected.”Clay watches me walk down the hall, dressed for date night. I wore a cute red dress, a color he’s never seen me in, and I already like the effect it’s having. “You got ready in timeandyou look like that. Remind me never to doubt you.”

He steps towards me, backing me into the kitchen island. I smirk up at him when his hands run up and down the skin tight fabric of my dress that matches the color of my lip stain. He cranes his neck to bring his lips to mine for a long, lingering kiss.

“If you keep doing that, then you’ll be the reason we’re late for dinner.” I tap him on the nose.

He flashes me a wicked, wanting grin and brings his lips to my ear. “Maybe we should just skip dinner and I can peel that dress off of you right here.”

He nips my ear and I suck in a short breath, thinking for a second that staying in with him would always be a good choice. But I collect myself, remembering that tonight I have plans with him that I’ve been excited about all day.

I grab him by the hand, leading him towards the door to go out to my Bronco. “Come on, let’s go. But save that energy for later.” I wink at him before heading out the door.

“Don’t worry. I’ll be thinking about ripping that off of you all night.” He walks in front of me, stepping down off the porch and opening the passenger door for me. He holds my hand while I climb up, slapping my ass before I sit down. I glare back at him playfully and he chuckles before shutting my door and walking around to the driver seat, plugging his phone in for the GPS.

Looking in the mirror to check my makeup before we leave, I realize my handsy boyfriend smudged it. I reach down for my purse to get my lip stain and realize I left it inside, probably distracted by said handsy boyfriend.

“I’m going to run in to grab my purse. I’ll be right back.”

He reaches over, putting his hand on my bare thigh, tracing his thumb over the sensitive skin. “Stay here. I’ll get it.”

He smiles at me softly before opening the door and walking inside.

I sit there, practically giddy about tonight when my car’s touchscreen lights up with ping after ping. I look at the notifications, seeing Kayleigh, Kayleigh, Kayleigh. New Message. New Message. New Message.

I grab his phone to silence the notifications and it opens.

Shit. I forgot he programmed my face in it.

In an instant, his messages are opened.

Kayleigh: Are you busy? I need to see you.

Kayleigh: Are you home? Can I come over?

Kayleigh: Is Lizzy there? You can come over here if it’s easier. I need you right now.

My heart pounds and my ears ring while I stare at the messages.

No. No. This can’t be happening again. I grab the phone and swing open the passenger door, not even sure where I’m going or what’s happening.

There’s no way. Clay isn’t Johnathan.

I take two steps from the car back toward the house when Clay walks out with my purse. The smile on his face, that boyish, carefree one I’ve fallen in love with, disappears in an instant when he sees my face.

“What’s wrong?” he asks, his voice filled with concern as he steps toward me.

I hold out the phone, saying nothing, trying to hold myself together. He grabs it, confusion on his face before he scrolls through the text messages.

“Shit,” he says gruffly, combing his fingers through his inky hair before pulling it in a fist. “Did you scroll up?”

“No, I didn’t.” I look at him almost dumfounded. “And that’s all you’re going to say? Shit?”

He looks back at me, eerily calm but still tense. “I told you. We’re just friends. She needs me for something.”

My breathing quickens and my apprehension overwhelms me. “That doesn’t sound like she needs just anything, Clay. I want to trust you, I want to believe you.” I hear my frantic breaths through my nose as my jaw clenches. “But I needmore.”

He stares back at me, but the look on his face is something else, something I’ve never seen before. There’s doubt. There's conflict. He looks tortured.

He lower’s his eyes to the ground and his voice is a faint, broken whisper. “I’ve told you everything I can. Nothing is happening between us. That’s it. I need you to trust me.”

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