Page 103 of The Heart Breaker

Slipped my arm out from under her without waking her, took a shower, got dressed, and left for the rink. She’s messaged me multiple times, but I haven’t replied. Because what am I supposed to do with the fact that my body suddenly seems to relax when she’s near?

I didn’t want to needanybody.

If there’s one thing my old man taught me, it’s that the second you get comfortable, that’s when everything goes to shit.

I think she finally took the hint, because she stopped texting two days ago, but I keep catching myself looking at my phone. I’ve missed seeing her name on my screen. Missed knowing she was thinking about me. Missed talking to her.

I thought I was doing the right thing. That if I pulled back now, I could put some space between us before this got any worse. Before all the lines we’d already blurred disappeared completely.

But lying here now, staring into the dark, I know I’ve been bullshitting myself for days.

Ignoring her didn’t fix a damn thing. Didn’t make this cleaner. Didn’t get her out of my head.

I shove myself upright and sit on the edge of the bed, scrubbing both hands down my face before reaching into the drawer for my cigarettes and lighter. I tap one loose, spark it, and drag the smoke in deep, letting it burn on the way down. Then I exhale slowly and watch the smoke disappear into the dark.

I grab my phone from the nightstand and unlock it, staring at her unanswered messages. They get shorter, spaced farther apart, like she lost hope, stopped expecting me to answer.

Something tugs at my chest, and I tap out a message.

Me:

Where are you?

I stare at the screen while I exhale smoke, and the second those three little dots pop up, my pulse kicks hard.

Aurora:

Suddenly you remember my number?

My mouth twitches. Fuck, I’ve missed her.

Me:

Stop being a brat and tell me where you are.

Aurora:

Getting fucked by your teammate. Busy. Sorry.

A laugh slips out of me as I stub the cigarette out.

God, she’s insufferable.

A brat. A pain in the ass. And somehow, every second I go without seeing her, my skin itches.

I drag my tongue over my teeth, pull up Ryan’s number, and fire off a text.

Me:

You guys at your place tonight?

Ryan:

Yeah, man. You want to come over? Aurora’s here, so…

I smirk at my phone.

Liar.