Page 71 of Counting On You

“I feel like a complete failure,” I whisper to him, avoiding his gaze. “My sister’s getting married. I’m not jealous of her or anything, but I want it, too. Someone who loves me and wants me.” I glance at him. “I’m terrified at the prospect of being alone for the rest of my life.”

“Being alone isn’t so bad.”

“Not for you. But for me, it is.” My fingers continue to fumble with the buttons. “I need to know if I’m bad at sex.”

“And you want to find out how?”

I hesitate.

The truth is, Kade was right.

Love isn’t supposed to be addicting. Love isn’t supposed to hurt.

And yet it does. It freaking hurts to be away from Bruce. To not know. To not be able to see him. To keep guessing what’s going on inside his head.

Not being able to call him, with the knowledge that he probably won’t return my calls, makes me feel sick to the core.

Missing him makes me feel lost. And desperate because there’s nothing I can do to escape this madness. And then there’s so much anger I feel for everyone: the counselor, the judge, Bruce’s ex, for Bruce because he’s the one who’s been putting me through this misery.

Only Kade can help.

“I want you to sleep with me.” I stare into his eyes, begging, pleading. “Please.”

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