Page 121 of Fighting the Pull

“If you don’t feel like going, don’t go.”

“That’s what I told her. I wasn’t there yet, and I warned her I might not ever get there. She said I was being selfish, this wasn’t about me. How did I thinkshefelt about all that was going on? And um…this is where I might have stepped out of line.”

“What’d you say?”

“I said it was rich she was calling me selfish when she certainly landed on her feet, living off one man then moving in with another to live off him.”

I heard him let out an “oof” and, gently, he said, “Yeah, baby. Just a little over the line.”

“Ugh,” I grunted.

“You’re allowed to have emotion around this,” he reminded me. “It’s bizarre she doesn’t seem to realize you would.”

“She doesn’t seem to realize it.”

“Have you heard from Oskar or Emilie?”

“Emilie is freezing me out, which I am completely okay with. Oskar has been blowing up my texts since I left dinner with Mom last night.”

“He needs to back the fuck off,” Hale growled.

“I’ve blocked him,” I shared. “Just for a while. I can’t deal with him right now.”

“Good call. How’s your dad?”

“He seems great. I’m going home to have dinner with him on Wednesday.”

“Is he cooking?”

“Yes.”

“Fortunate, since it seems your culinary skills begin and end with being able to toast a bagel,” he teased.

I was relieved to have something to smile about.

“I have other skills you seem to enjoy,” I noted.

“Yeah, you do,” he agreed, his voice silky and warm, coating me all over.

It sounded good.

But the real thing was so much better.

“No pressure, no weirdness,” I started softly, “just want you to know, I miss you.”

Hale kept it light.

And hot.

Which both worked for me and was a disappointment.

“I’m sensing where this is coming in our conversation is that what you miss is my cock.”

“I miss him too. He’s very pretty.”

I listened, and loved doing it, as Hale chuckled.

Okay, so I made him laugh, I could let it slide how he blew it off when I told him I missed him.

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