Page 84 of This Bitter Sweet Temptation
Things are different now. The landscape shifted when I wasn’t looking, and I let that ruin what could’ve been the reset we needed.
After kissing him, that’s toast.
My chest feels too tight, caging the distressed hummingbird inside.
Holden finally moves first, to get as far away as possible, I’m sure. He can’t possibly bear to be close to me anymore.
“We should pack,” he announces from behind the sofa. “We’ve got the flight back to Portland tonight. No sense in waiting around here a second longer.”
No sense in risking another night in one bed together,he means.
I don’t blame him.
“Oh, right, yeah. The flight,” I say stupidly.
I stay where I am as Holden stomps into the bedroom, shutting the door behind him with unmistakable force.
I don’t move yet. I just listen to him tossing stuff around, zipping and unzipping his bag several times. Of course, he’sangry—and why shouldn’t he be?
I ruined a good thing.
One second, he was just listening, trying to be supportive, and then I was all over him.
I drop my head into my hands, digging my fingers into my cheeks, fighting and failing to suppress the tears of shame.
This is so bad, but the damage is done.
The very worst part is, it was one of the best fucking kisses of my life. And it had to be withHolden Verity.
I don’t know how to do this.
How to shift back to our regularly scheduled lives and erase the bitter memory.
I’ve hated him for most of my life. I miss it.
Hate, that was easy and familiar.
I knew we’d bicker. He was the distant, cold, controlling asshole because he had to be.
At least that relationship made perfect sense.
He was so strict and I liked acting out the way every young girl does when she trusts someone will stop her before things go too far. Safely bending rules. Testing boundaries.
Now, nothing about Holden feels safe and predictable.
Nothing except—no, that’s not right.
Even while we’re stranded here and burning from the kiss to end all kisses, I know he’ll keep putting my safety first.
It’s just… we’re talking about a different sort of safe.
Emotionally, I’m trapped inside a burning car and I don’t know how to get out.
Groaning softly, I throw myself back on the sofa and pretend to scroll on my phone. I should be riding high on the news about my coming fortune.
This is it.
Everything I wanted beyond my wildest dreams.
