.” He yawned. “We’ll forget it happened by morning.”
Impossible. “I’m not caught up in anything, and I know the difference between love and glow. My attic isn’t dusty. Remember?”
“We can talk about it later.” He cracked an eye open. “Why don’t you curl up next to me?”
“You don’t believe me.” She hadn’t meant to blurt it out, but she had, and he didn’t believe her. He wanted to dismiss her like the other women he’d been with who’d suffered from “glow.” She scooted to the end of the bed and reached for her underwear. She knew he didn’t love her. The little tear in her heart made her realize that she’d hoped he felt the same, but she didn’t expect it. Nor did she expect to be treated like just another woman who’d said she loved him. She wasn’t special and didn’t know why she expected more.
He cracked open both eyes. “Where are you going?”
“Home.”
“Why the rush?” he said through another yawn. “I’ll take you in the morning.”
“I’ll call a cab.” She hooked her bra and reached for her shirt on the floor.
That got his attention and he sat up. “What are you doing?”
“Getting dressed.”
“I can see that. Why?”
She had to leave. To get away. As fast as possible before she slugged him and burst into tears, undoubtedly like all the other women. This was her fault. She’d fallen in love with a man who was only pretending to love her.
“You’re better than this, Lexie.” He gathered the sheet around him and stood. “You’re better than the women who get mad and act this way.”
She’d thought so, too. She guessed not.
He paused as if struck with thought. “Are you about to start your period?”
Her jaw dropped and she drew in a breath. “Tell me I didn’t just hear you say that.”
“Sorry, but you’re getting all emotional for no reason.”
And he wasn’t. Not at all. Not for any reason.
“I think you’re just confused.”
“You’re insulting.”
“What you’re feeling isn’t real. You’ll realize that tomorrow.”
“You don’t get to tell me how I feel or what I’ll realize tomorrow.” She pulled her shirt over her head and jumped on one foot and then the other as she got into her pants. “I know how I feel. I know how I feel when you walk into a room and I see you smile at me. I know the touch of your hand in the small of my back makes my heart swell up and pound really hard at the same time. I know you like to tell yourself that you’re a good guy for the obvious things you do, but what makes you a good guy are the things that aren’t so obvious. Maybe not even to you.” She zipped her pants, then looked back into his face. “But I see you, Sean.” His brows and lips were drawn tight as if she’d seen deep down into him and he didn’t like it. “You don’t have to love me back. That’s fine.” It wasn’t. “I mean, I never expected that from you. We had a deal. That’s it, but don’t tell me I’m confused like all other women who’ve had the misfortune to say they love you.” She pushed her hair from her face. Whether from exertion or emotion, her breathing was fast and choppy. “Instead of blaming my period—which is so typically guy, by the way—the least you could do is say, ‘Gee, Lexie, that’s nice.’”
“Gee, Lexie, that’s nice.”
Her hands fell to her sides as she watched him wipe all expression from his handsome face. “Maybe you could fake some emotion.”
“Sorry. Next time write it down for me in one of your annoying memos.”
Now he was just adding insult to injury. “You’re being a jerk.”
“And you’re being overemotional.”
“Well, I’m sorry.” She picked up her socks and shoes. “I told you that I love you and you said I’m confused.”
“You are.” He fought with the sheet and gathered it in one hand. “For God’s sake, you thought you were in love with Pete Dalton two months ago.”
She stuck her chin in the air and gathered as much dignity around her as possible. “That was low.”