Morgun got the message real fast. The confusion left her face and her eyes narrowed. A touch of red appeared in her cheeks, but it wasn’t a blush. It was just straight pissed off.
“I see. So, you want to just get rid of me after what we just did.”
&n
bsp; “It’s not like that.”
“It is like that. That’s basically what you’re saying.”
“That’s not what I’m saying.”
“What is it that you’re so afraid of? You think that once you cross an invisible line that the whole world is going to implode? Or are you just afraid that something might get under that thick skin you take so much pride in perfecting?”
“I’m just exhausted by the endless questions. I don’t have time for it. I don’t want to make time for it.”
“So, you can touch me, but I can’t touch you?”
“I’m sorry. That’s not how I planned it. I really did want to do this with you, but I just can’t take things any further than this. I can see that you want more and I can’t offer it to you. I don’t want to hurt you. Honestly. I’m not trying to use you, and I don’t want you to feel that way, so I think we should just walk down to my car, and I’ll give you your thousand bucks and call you a cab to make sure you get home safely.”
Morgun steeled herself. She yanked at her dress, adjusting everything back into place. She smoothed back her hair and drew her shoulders back. She turned and wouldn’t look at Laney. She marched straight for the door, flipped the lock, and threw it open.
Laney watched her go. She shut her eyes and did a silent countdown in her head so she wouldn’t chase after Morgun and make things worse, but also so that she could control her rising…what?
She wanted to say it was anger, but she couldn’t really make herself believe that. She felt a sense of something stronger, deeper, more personal and more painful. It didn’t make sense. It must be the alcohol playing tricks with her brain. Although she really hadn’t had that much. She could usually sort out her feelings, so she knew it wasn’t that. It was just easier to say it was. Like it was easier to let Morgun leave.
Laney hurried to catch up with her, because she didn’t want Morgun to leave without the thousand dollars she was owed. Laney didn’t want anyone to ever say she hadn’t upheld her end of a bargain. Her word was important to her and a deal was a deal.
Even if her body was flushed with heat and her heart was beating painfully and she was wildly unsatisfied with how things ended in that room. Not just physically. Even if she’d had crazy hot sex in that room, she still wouldn’t be satisfied and that bothered her more than anything.
“Morgun!” Laney caught up with Morgun just as she was flinging the door open to go outside to the parking lot. “Morgun, wait!”
Morgun didn’t turn. She kept on walking. She walked with powerful strides, her hips and bottom swaying suggestively. Laney nearly groaned. She knew it would kill Morgun to realize how attractive she was right now when she clearly didn’t want to be.
She stopped in front of Laney’s car, crossed her arms, and waited.
Laney wanted to say something. She knew she should attempt to make this better. She had no idea what to say and she knew the words wouldn’t come. She was shit with emotions. Talking about feelings wasn’t something she’d ever been good at.
“Here.” Laney handed over the envelope after reaching into her car’s glovebox to retrieve it.
Morgun snatched it out of her hand. She didn’t rub salt in the wounds by counting it. She clutched it and gave Laney a foul look. “You’re terrible,” she informed Laney. “You’re horrible and cold and awful.”
Laney swallowed. Morgun looked like she meant all of that, and it stung. Even if Laney was used to hearing much, much worse. Seeing Morgun hurting bothered her. It bothered her a lot.
“I really am sorry. I’m just trying to keep you from being hurt. Angry is one thing. Hurt is another.”
“Sure. Say whatever it is to excuse you from having to have any responsibility for anything. The wedding was pretty nice. That orgasm was pretty nice too. The only thing that wasn’t nice? You. You’re not nice. I’m glad I won’t see you again after tonight.” Morgun wrenched open her clutch and found her phone. “Don’t worry about calling me a cab. I’ve got it.”
“Let me pay for it at least.”
Morgun shook her head fiercely. “Just go back inside. I’m good. Thanks.” It wasn’t a nice kind of thanks. It was a sarcastic, mean, biting thanks.
Laney knew she would probably just make everything worse if she didn’t do what Morgun asked her to do and just get out of her space. She capitulated, locked her car, and went back into the arts building. She waited just inside the door where she could see Morgun, standing in the parking lot until a cab arrived and she got in.
Laney liked to tell herself that she didn’t care. As a rule, she didn’t even like other people. But with Morgun? It was somehow different. She couldn’t explain it to herself, but she knew it was true.
She let out a sigh as the cab pulled away. At least she wouldn’t have to see Morgun again. She should be happy that they’d pulled off the deal and now she would be free from her family’s harassment. She was happy about that. That soft sigh that she couldn’t hold back should have just been one of relief, but even Laney had to admit it was tinged with regret.
Chapter 13