Page 369 of Releasing 10
And I didn’t have the self-restraint to reject her advances, either.
Goddammit to hell.
Why did it have to be so hard?
Why did I have to fall in love with my sister’s best friend?
These sleepovers werekillingme.
Knowing my ex was sleeping in the room next to mine was the reason I wasshoweringat two o’clock in the fucking morning.
“Hi.” Reaching behind her back, Liz turned the key in the lock and released a shaky breath. “I heard you come in here.”
Of course she had.
My bedroom aligned with my sister’s room, which meant we both knew when the other was on the prowl.
Luckily, Claire was a deep sleeper.
Unluckily, Lizzie wasnot.
“So you thought you’d come on in and we’d shoot the breeze?” I bit back a growl of frustration. It was hard enough to handle seeing her at school every day, and my house most weekends,and my dreams at night, but now I couldn’t get myself off to the memory of Liz without real-life Liz barging in.
Jesus Christ.
I can’t catch a fucking break.
“I needed to see you,” she blurted out, hands knotted in front of her. “Really badly.”
“Oh yeah?” Huffing out a breath, I dragged the curtain across the rail, purposefully blocking her view of me. “Well, too fucking bad.”
“I’m so sorry for losing it on you at my house last week.”
“Don’t worry about it,” I deadpanned. “I’m used to it.”
“And for you having to bring me here to look after me until Mam picked me up.”
“Like I said,” I shot back gruffly. “I’m used to it.”
“Well, I’m sorry for being the kind of person you’re used to looking after.”
I flinched. “Liz.”
“Hugh.” Her voice cracked. “Oh God, I love you so much.”
I knew she did, and her feelings were entirely reciprocated on my end, but that didn’t mean what we had wasn’t toxic.
“Well then, it’s time to stop,” I strangled out, quickly bracing the tiles with both hands, while I fought down the decade long urge to go to her. “Because I’m going out with the lads tomorrow night, and I’m going to score with someone.” It was complete bullshit, but I needed to arm myself, dammit.
I heard her sudden sharp intake of breath, followed by a smothered sob, and my chest physically heaved from the violent, abhorrent pain that shot through me.
This was too much.
It hurt too hard.
I was too damn deeply in love with her.
Bowing my head, I clenched my eyes shut and willed myself to be strong, tonotcave, and to have some goddamn respect for myself.
