Page 59 of Love Hate Relationship

“I don’t think you do,” I responded. Holding tighter to his hair, I used it to tilt his head back so I could see his handsome face. “I’m not her,” I repeated emphatically. “I’m not a cheater. I’m not a manipulator. I would never do that to someone I care about. You have to trust me, Rowan. If you can’t do that then we might as well call this off right now.”

“No.” His tone held so much vehemence as he spoke that one word through gritted teeth.

“Then no more jealous, Neanderthal bullshit. You got me?” I grinned down at him and his lips tilted up in response.

“I got you.” As soon as the tension bled away, Rowan’s hands slid from my hips around my back, pulling me even tighter against him. My pulse picked up speed and my body heated. It was the same reaction every time he touched me. I couldn’t get enough of it. “So,” his grin turned wicked, “you care about me, huh?”

I did. I really, really did. But I refused to admit anything beyond that.

“Maybe,” I teased, holding my thumb and index finger less than an inch apart as I squinted. “Aboutthismuch.” I squeaked and tried to squirm away when he gave my hip a hard pinch in retaliation. “Keep that up and I’m telling Carson.” I laughed. That got him to stop.

“So, what now?”

“Well, we’re going back out there and you’re going to kiss ass like you’ve never kissed ass before.”

One corner of his mouth tilted up in a grin. “You really think that’ll work?”

“Oh, hell no,” I answered with brutal honesty. “Carson’s going to hate you until the end of time now. But at least sucking up will keep him from trying to kill you in your sleep.”

“Fucking brilliant,” he grumbled toward the ceiling, causing me to giggle.

“Pucker up, baby.”

For the first time in my life, things were perfect. I was enjoying my job, I had amazing friends, and I had been seeing a guy for over a month who I was one hundred percent completely in love with. And that relationship was going surprisingly well.

But when you live a life where it’s guaranteed that the other shoe is going to drop sooner or later, it’s hard to sit back and relax. It’s impossible to bask in the joy of all the good because you’re constantly worrying, waiting for the day to come when it all blows up in your face.

I wanted to believe that I’d reached a turning point in my life where the good outweighed the bad. I wanted to believe that things with Rowan had nowhere to go but up. I wanted to trust that I was finally getting the happy I deserved. I just couldn’t stop looking over my shoulder, nervously waiting for the inevitable to happen.

I lowered my guard. I’d handed my heart over willingly so when that boom was lowered, it hurt so much worse than I had anticipated. I should have known better. I never should have gotten my hopes up. Because that just made the crash back down to rock bottom all the more painful.

“Ouch, Harlow! You’re about to rip my damn hair out!” I whined from my place in front of the bathroom mirror.

“If you’d sit still, it wouldn’t hurt so much!”

“You’re pulling too hard!”

“Just take a deep breath. I almost got it.”

“Ow!

Pepper’s voice spoke up from behind us and we both turned to see her leaning against the bathroom door. “You know, if I were a guy and had no clue what was happening back here, I’d probably be sporting a chubby right about now.”

I rolled my eyes just before slamming them shut in pain as Harlow ripped the comb through my hair once more. “She’s trying to scalp me!”

“Stop being such a baby,” Harlow complained. “It’s just a tangle. Ha! Got it!” she crowed triumphantly as the comb finally slid through my strands of hair unimpeded.

“I hate you,” I grumbled, reaching up to touch the tender section of my scalp.

“You love me. Now, shut up and let’s get you beautified.”

Crossing my arms over my chest, I glowered at my reflection in the mirror. “I don’t understand why we have to go through all of this anyway.”

“Uh, maybe because one of the hottest guys who’s ever graced our planet told you he wanted to take you out on a date?” Pepper asked sarcastically.

“We’re already sleeping together,” I insisted. “And I’ve stayed the night with him, so he knows what I look like first thing in the morning.”

“Doesn’t get much worse than that,” Harlow said under her breath, then, “Ouch! Damn it!” when I reached back to pinch the hell out of her arm.

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