Page 66 of Meet Your Match
Maven flushed, but then let out an, “Ugh!” She pressed into my space, the universe answering my prayers as she did. “You’re exhausting.”
“Oh, sothat’sit. It all makes sense now.”
She frowned, confused.
“You’re tired,” I said. “That’s why you can’t open your eyes and see the truth.”
“What truth?”
“That I want you,” I said, and I pressed right back, my hands finding her hips and pinning her to the bathroom sink. Even then, I pushed in farther, my nose centimeters from hers. “I want you so badly, Maven. Ilikeyou, goddamnit.”
She swallowed, attempting to wriggle free, but I held her tighter.
“No,” I said, shaking my head as my forehead fell to hers. “Don’t. Don’t make a joke. Don’t deny it. You want me, too.”
She turned her face, my lips falling against her temple as she swallowed again and looked away from me.
“Admit it,” I pleaded.
A long pause settled between us, the air charged, waiting for one tiny spark that would engulf us both in flames.
“You’re a playboy, Vince,” she breathed, just a whisper, but the words struck me as if she’d yelled them. I pulled back, and her eyes found mine. “You only want me because I haven’t let you have me.”
I shook my head, brows folding together. “You… you don’t honestly believe that.” I laughed, sure it was a joke. When she didn’t prod me further, that smile fell, my throat tight. “Tell me you don’t see me that way.”
But she didn’t.
She didn’t answer at all.
Her eyes flickered down to her shoes, and she kept her gaze there as I slowly backed away, releasing her.
This was the persona, the one I played into with everyone else. But with her? I’d let her in. I’d shown her parts of me the rest of the world had never seen before. I was nothing but honest with her, right from the start.
I let her see me.
And yet all she saw was a player.
I nodded. Again and again, laughing a little as I scrubbed a hand over my mouth.
And then I left.
The bathroom, the restaurant, and her.
CHAPTER 22
NO ONE BUT ME
Maven
Ibailed on my date before he had the chance to order dessert.
My emotions were so tangled up I could barely hold down what Ihadeaten, let alone consume anything more. So, with a polite kiss on the cheek and a hug, I parted ways with Damon and headed home.
Home.
That made me laugh.
The fully furnished condo I was staying in with giant windows, a sweeping city landscape, and a bed far too big for only me could hardly be considered home. It was my clothes in the provided dresser, and my toiletries in the bathroom, and my usual food in the fridge. But it wasn’t my small bungalow near the beach. It wasn’t my garden or my macramé wall art or my compost ready to be put to good use.
