“Give me another chance, Lys.” Before she can shoot me down, I add, “That’s all I need to prove that I’ve changed. That I’m not the same guy you left behind.”
A rush of air escapes as her body wilts against mine. “I don’t know.”
Her wrists are still pinned against the brick wall as I ghost my mouth over hers. “Just one.”
When I make another pass, never quite touching her lips, she groans and tilts her head as if silently offering them up to me.
“You’ve got my word that I won’t fuck it up this time.”
“I can’t go through that again, Colton. I just can’t.”
Thick emotion bleeds through her voice, and it nearly breaks my heart. I’m the one who did this to her. And I’ll have to live with that knowledge for the rest of my life. “I’m sorry, baby.”
I hold my breath as indecision flickers across her features.
“Okay,” she finally says, giving in. “But it’s one chance. After that, if I want to walk away, if I want you to leave me alone, you do it. No questions asked.”
Even though the thought of that happening is terrifying, it’s all I have to work with.
“One chance,” I vow, “is all I need.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Alyssa
I can’t believe I’m actually going through with this.
How did I let Colton persuade me into giving him another shot?
Persuade...ha!
If I’ve come to realize anything, it’s that I have no resistance when it comes to the blond, blue-eyed football player. All he has to do is lay his hands on me, and my brain leaks right out of my ear. It’s disconcerting.
For the hundredth time today, I pick up my phone and stare at it. I should cancel. That would be the smartest thing to do. Just as I type out a message, there’s a knock on the apartment door. My head snaps up as my belly crashes to my toes. I place my palm against my lower abdomen as if that will keep it in place.
It’s too late. He’s already here.
I straighten my shoulders. Fine, I can do this. It’s one date. One single chance. That’s all I agreed to. If he fucks it up, I can walk away with a clear conscience. When my heart clenches at the idea of us really being over, I brush it aside and tell myself that it’s for the best. Colton isn’t the kind of guy I need in my life. He’s just the one I’m attracted to.
For a moment, I force myself to relive the way he broke up with me. The text message that popped up out of nowhere. And then waiting outside his locker room when he refused to take my calls. A dull ache fills me as I dredge up the ugliness of his words.
Come on, girl, you had to know this was a long shot when we got together. It was a gamble. You rolled the dice, and it came up snake eyes. You should be giving me props for remaining faithful this long. As much as I’ve enjoyed your unicorn pussy, this whole exclusivity thing isn’t for me. I wouldn’t mind keeping you in my back pocket and having a taste of it every once in a while. No strings attached, of course.
It’s the rap of knuckles against wood that knocks me out of the painful memory as I force my feet into motion. When I’m standing in front of the door, I inhale a shaky breath before reaching out and twisting the knob. Even though it’s not a surprise to find Colton standing on the other side of the threshold, my heart skips a beat.
Instead of his normal jeans or athletic shorts paired with a T-shirt, he’s wearing a pale pink polo and chinos that hug his muscular thighs. There’s an oversized silver watch wrapped around his left wrist and a sprinkle of dark blond hair covering his bare forearms.
My mouth turns cottony as I take in the sight of him.
Why does he have to be so damn sexy?
I gulp as a fresh burst of nerves explodes inside me. I am in so much trouble. This was a mistake. One I never should have agreed to. Already I know there’s only one way this will end, and that’s badly.
For me.
No matter what happens, I’m going to get hurt. And I’m nowhere near healed from the last time.
The way his gaze skims over me feels very much like a physical caress. “You look beautiful.”
Heat seeps into my cheeks as I glance away. It’s difficult to hold his stare. The possessiveness that fills his eyes leaves me feeling skittish. “Thanks.”
As much as I didn’t want to dress with Colton in mind this evening, that’s exactly what I found myself doing. Even though it’s mid-September, and the weather is seasonable, I know the temperature will drop, and it will become chilly. I decided on a thin, loosely knit, cream-colored sweater with three-quarter length sleeves and a short red skirt with a white tear drop pattern. I’ve paired silvery sandals with the outfit. It’s a little summer and autumn mixed together.