Page 95 of Delay of Game
“Rob?”
He worked his jaw as he scanned the crowd. At all the faces, he bit down.
Fair enough. I didn’t want to have this conversation in front a bunch of strangers anyhow.
“Outside, now.” I turned and marched out of the bar.
The crowd parted, hushed conversations starting in our wake. I didn’t stop outside the bar. Instead, I marched down the block to an empty piece of sidewalk.
I crossed my arms as Ethan’s words echoed in my head: He doesn’t want you, but he doesn’t want anyone else to have you either.
I took a deep breath. “Please explain to me what I just walked into.”
“Astrid.” Rob took a step forward, arm extended.
I stumbled back, out of arm’s length. “Just explain.”
He flinched. “Fieste?—”
“Ethan.”
“Ethan.” He chewed on the name with a frown. “He owed me. I asked him to hang out with you.”
“Date me?”
“Not date you.” He reached forward again, dropping his hand on his own this time. “Not seriously. Just take you out on a date. Maybe two.”
“When did you ask him?” I braced myself.
His eyes fluttered closed as his mouth grew tight. “The night after our phone call.”
I grimaced. This whole time, I’d deluded myself into thinking that Rob and I were making progress. And sure, he had some hang ups and reservations, but we’d get past them if I could be patient. But in reality, a place I clearly didn’t live, he just tore down the progress as fast as I tried to throw it up.
“So, we had phone sex, and you decided you didn’t want to deal with me anymore?” I bit my bottom lip, fighting back tears.
“That’s not what—” His voice faltered. “You just make it so I can’t think straight.”
“Imake it so you can’t think straight?” Anger mixed with the tears. “So, you nearly punched your teammate and that’s on me?”
“That’s not what I said.” His exasperation only fueled my anger.
“I’m not asking for you to fight your teammates for me. I’m not asking for anything except to be honest with me.”
“Iamhonest with you, Astrid.” His face crumpled. “I want to be honest with you. I can be.”
“Then why am I good enough to mess around with, but not to date?”
He flinched. “That’s not how it is.”
“Then explain it to me.” I ignored the hurt in his eyes. “Because I like you, Rob. And despite how hot and cold you run, until tonight, I really thought that all you needed was some time and patience. That if I waited, you’d come around to the fact that you like me too. That maybe I’m even worth dating.”
“You are worth dating.” He reached out a hand.
I pulled back. “But not with you? You’d rather pawn me off on someone else? You don’t want to bother letting me in. Because asking Ethan to be my friend was one thing. But date me? You seriously asked him to date me?”
“Astrid, please.” He gripped my hand, and his thumb brushed over my knuckles. I didn’t pull back. He slipped his arms around me. His head dipped down, lips against my hair. “Asking Fi—Ethan was a mistake. I get that.”
He brushed away a strand of hair, his lips following his fingers. I closed my eyes as he kissed my cheek. His grip on my waist tightened as his teeth raked down my jaw.
