Page 96 of Playing a Player (Sweet Cravings 1)

"I tried to tell you how I felt. You made it very clear that you didn't want anything past that one night."

"What are you talking about? I asked you to be my girlfriend."

"That was after I wrote the articles."

"Then what was the original premise, Keira?"

"I wanted more. I wanted you to love me back."

"Stop saying that you love me! You don't love me." He jumped off the counter and tossed the paper at me. "Obviously you don't love me."

He did hear me before. "I do love you, Rory. I love you so much."

"Stop. This whole thing was stupid anyway. I never should have asked you out. Nothing good lasts forever."

"What are you talking about?"

"If Connor and Cindy didn't last, no one's going to last with me. They were perfect together. I'm a mess. How could you possibly love someone like me?"

I wanted to cry. It wasn't just my article that he was upset about. Does he really not think that someone could love him? How can the man that I love so much feel that way? "You're not a mess. I think that you're perfect, Rory. And I think we're perfect together."

He laughed and grabbed his keys off the counter. "I trusted you, Keira. How could you do this to me? After everything we've been through?"

"Everything we've been through? Are you kidding me? You mean the obstacles of getting you to stop fucking random women? Because that's what I've been through, Rory. Not you. That's my obstacle, not yours."

"Oh come on."

"And it was after one of the many times you crushed me that I came up with the idea for the article in the first place."

"So this is all my fault?"

"No, that's not what I meant." I took a deep breath. "I know I messed up. Right after I pitched the idea to my editor I realized it was a mistake, but it was too late. My editor was already running with it."

"So you thought you could just hide this from me forever? What did you expect would happen when I found out?

"I don't know. I was so scared to tell you because I knew it would hurt you."

"Well congratulations, you were right." He ran his hand through his hair. "I can't do this anymore, Keira."

"This? What do you mean you can't do this? I made one mistake. But you had no problem hurting me ever since you moved in. You knew that I liked you. You hurt me over and over again. You're a fucking hypocrite, Rory!"

"Yeah, I'm definitely done." He opened the front door.

"Where are you going?"

"Out."

"Rory! Please can't we just talk about this?"

"You can't change people, Keira. So screw you and your articles. And you know what? I'm glad I didn't let you delete those numbers from my phone."

"Seriously? That's what you're going to go do? You said you'd never cheat on me."

"What does it matter? I don't even know you, Keira. This whole thing was just a game to you. You used me. Come on, guys, we're leaving."

"Rory, I don't think..." Connor said.

"Fine. Don't come."

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