I push my back against the wall as the apartment door closes behind him. My knees buckle and I slide to the floor.
I need you. I really need you, Nathan. I type the words into my phone and press send.
Chapter 14
"I've been thinking about you all weekend." Nathan pulls me into his apartment and into a tight embrace.
I slap his hands away once I realize he's pulling on the hem of my sweater. Seriously? He thinks I'm going to fuck his brains out right now even though he ignored my text messages pleading with him to call me?
"What's wrong?" He nuzzles his face into my neck.
"Is your phone broken?" I push back and stare at him.
"It's fine. Why?"
"It's fine?" My stomach cramps with the simple and straightforward understanding that he simply chose to ignore all of my pleading texts and voicemails.
"What's with you?" He walks across the room to pour himself a drink and motions toward an empty glass.
"I don't want anything." I can't drink. I can't even think straight right now. "Why didn't you call me back?"
"I knew I'd see you today, Jessica." The carefree lilt in his voice is grating on me. He doesn’t care that I called him and left sobbing voicemails. It doesn't faze him at all that I sent him a flurry of texts.
"Do I mean anything beyond a decent fuck to you?" I pull my hands across my chest. This is it. I'm not investing anything more in this ridiculous excuse for a relationship.
"What's got you so tied up in knots?" He scans his phone, only further pushing me over the edge.
"Did you get any interesting messages tonight?" I know I sound like a bitch. I am a bitch when I'm dealing with a man who can't seem to think beyond the scope of his cock.
"Work stuff." He tosses the phone on the couch. "I missed you."
"Shut up, Nathan." I spit out, the stress from the last few days boiling over. "Shut the hell up. Did you think I was coming over here so you could fuck me?"
"I hoped you'd want to fuck me too." The words pierce through my skin like a needle.
"You're serious, aren't you?" My voice trembles. I'm unable to hide my anger.
"What the fuck is wrong with you?" He finishes the glass of bourbon before he takes a seat on the couch facing me. "Sit down."
"No." I won't submit to what he wants. "I'm leaving. This is such utter bullshit."
"You just got here. Sit the fuck down, Jessica." He doesn't move to stand or to stop me.
"Fuck off, Nathan." I turn to leave.
"What's your problem?" He's finally on his feet, racing to block me from the doorway.
"You." I push a finger against his chest and it barely moves. "You're the problem."
"What the fuck did I do?" He grabs my hand and clenches it within his fist. "I've been away for three days and I come back to this."
"You didn't think at some point this weekend that it might be a good idea to return one of my messages?"
"You're upset about that." He pulls a thin grin across his face. "I'd rather talk to you in person."
"You're such an asshole." I shout. "Just a narcissistic asshole."
"Watch your mouth," he says tightly. "Don’t say things you're going to regret."