The door is snatched open so quickly that I almost lose my balance, and I step inside. I look around for her grandmother, but it seems like we’re alone. Good, because there are some words to be said.
Then, I turn to my girlfriend, ready to give her hell for disappearing on me, but my anger at this whole situation dissipates when I take a closer look at my beautiful brunette. The cold glare from a moment ago is gone and has been replaced by red rimmed eyes as well as a drawn, pale face. I step closer and reach for her cheek, wanting to wipe her tears away, but she steps back, shaking her head. A small sob escapes her lips and my heart feels like it’s being wrenched apart seeing her hurting like this.
“Angie, baby, tell me what’s going on. What’s got you like this? Why did you disappear? It’s been two days and I haven’t heard from you. I was out of my mind with worry.”
“Ha,” she barks, and there isn’t an ounce of humor in her tone. “You can stop the charade now, Peter. You got what you paid for, okay? I’m done now.”
My eyebrows draw together, and I step forward, my expression confused. “Sweetheart, you’re the one who disappeared without a word. Now tell me what’s going on.”
She steps back, trembling, but I can tell it’s from rage and not fear.
“I’m just giving you what you want, Peter,” she spits. “We both know you didn’t sign up for a long term commitment, and you know what? That isn’t what I was looking for either. I’m done.”
Now she’s starting to piss me off and I’m not leaving here without answers. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“I’m not a whore, and I won’t act like one anymore. Not even for you. You can keep your money.”
I throw my hands up. “You think I don’t know that? Of course you aren’t a whore. I never thought you were, and you know that. And who says I don’t want a long term commitment? I thought that’s what we were doing, or at least what we were on the path to.”
I try to move closer but she holds her hand out, keeping me at a distance. “No. Don’t.”
She turns around and stalks away, but I’m not letting her leave like this. I don’t know what’s going on, but there is no way we’re ending on such a sour note.
I follow a few steps after her, my voice ominous. “Baby, you’re going to have to tell me what brought all this on because I’m in the dark here. I thought we were happy together.”
She lets out an unladylike snort.
“Yeah, well it’s hard for me to be happy with a man who isn’t satisfied with just one woman.”
I stop, puzzled.
“You’re the only woman I’ve been with since the night we met.”
But now, Angie’s the one closing the distance between us, and her eyes are filled with murderous rage. Once she’s within hitting distance, she swings her arms, her fists colliding with my chest. “You lie!” she screams, unleashing a series of hard jabs. “You asshole! I freaking heard you with her! I hate you!”
I grab her wrists, and it’s too easy because Angie’s so much smaller than me. I pin her hands against my chest, stilling her furious movements. “What do you think you heard?”
“Two days ago!” she screams again. “I went to your office and I heard you! All the disgusting uh-uh-uhs and come here, big boys. You were banging another woman in your office!”
I stare at her, utterly perplexed. I’ve never had sex with a woman in my office, although it’s crossed my mind in the past. But I certainly didn’t do it two days ago, and I wouldn’t, not with the way this relationship has been going.
Suddenly, a connection is made, and I can’t stop myself from laughing. The wildcat glares up at me through thick waves of curls as I smile and brush her hair out of her eyes gently. “I’m assuming you went to my Manhattan office.”
“Yes!” Angie screeches. She tries to shake my hands off her wrists, but I don’t let her. “You told me you’d be there this week, or did you forget? Maybe juggling more than one woman is too difficult for you and your little black book got all messed up.”
I shake my head, exhaling loudly. “I assure you, I don’t have a little black book. Now tell me: when you went in, did you ask for Peter Wilshire or just Mr. Wilshire?”
Her forehead scrunches. “Why does it matter? OMG, I’m not going to let you dodge this! A million people must have heard you banging that woman, and I was so embarrassed! I’m embarrassed for you! Does your secretary have to listen to that every day? Every lunch hour? OMG, you’re so disgusting!”