Page 86 of Counting On You

“No, Vicky.” I shake my head to get my point across. “Not here. Not now.”

“Why?”

“Because.” I hesitate.

“Fine. Not today.” Pulling her panties up her hips, she lets out a laugh. “But I’m warning you and I’m serious. If you don’t fuck me by the end of this week, I’ll ask someone else.”

My brows shoot up. “Is that an ultimatum?”

“No. I’m giving you a choice.”

“What about Bruce?”

There’s a short silence. When she looks up, her eyes are glinting with something.

It’s not sadness. It’s fury. The same look she gives me when I challenge her.

She wants to get even with him.

“What about him?” she asks. “Kiss me one more time and then ask me if I care about him.”

She sounds serious, as though she’s challenging herself.

I want to believe her, but I can’t.

Too much is at stake. Someone like her can go from extreme heights to even greater lows. There’s never a middle ground with her.

I have to be cautious not to rekindle her obsession with her ex, which could easily happen if I don’t tread carefully.

Doing the real thing as opposed to giving oral pleasure is different.

At least, I like to think so. If we have sex and she realizes it’s a one-time thing she might run back to Bruce, which is the last thing I want for her.

“As much as I want to fuck you, you need time alone, Vicky,” I say and almost kick myself the moment I do.

She laughs. “What are you? My therapist?”

“No. I’m your friend.” I smile softly. “Look, I’m just trying to help. Doing something that we might both regret isn’t going to help any of us. We’re different, Vicky, but notthatdifferent. We both need a fix. For me, it’s sex. For you, it’s love. You think by fucking me you’ll feel better, but trust me, you won’t. If anything, you’re going to feel worse because it won’t change a thing in your life, and the last thing I want is for you to hate yourself.” I pause, taking in her reactions. She just looks at me, her face a mask that betrays none of her emotions. “Give yourself at least a week to process his betrayal.”

She remains quiet for a while, letting my words sink in. “Why one week?”

“I want you to be sure that you really want this. And also, I don’t trust myself around you.” I don’t know how to put this, so I go for being straightforward and blunt. More blunt than I’ve ever been before. “You’re beautiful, Vicky, but you deserve someone who wouldn’t hurt you.”

“And you would?”

I smile sadly. “I might. Look, it’s not something I’m proud of, but many women I’ve hooked up with have been left disappointed because they harbored the foolish hope for more, which I can’t give.”

“And you think I’m like those women?”

I cock my head to the side, regarding her amused expression. “You aren’t?”

“I can assure you that I understand what I’m getting into, and my answer’s still yes, I want to.”

“One week.” I lean into her, my lips grazing hers in one final kiss, and then I open the door. “Think it over. If you still want it by next week, then we’ll take the next step.”

One week.

Plenty of time for her to think about it. Plenty of time for her to really want me or push me away forever.

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