Total pages in book: 33
Estimated words: 31078 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 155(@200wpm)___ 124(@250wpm)___ 104(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 31078 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 155(@200wpm)___ 124(@250wpm)___ 104(@300wpm)
“Don’t give me that. I told you I loved you and I’m not a liar. I’m sorry you let your insecurities get in the way, but it’s how I feel and I’m not going to stop feeling it just because you can’t handle it. No matter what happened in your past, it’s time to get over it. I don’t deserve to be treated like this and will not be.”
His face went bright red. “You admitted that you gave me your virginity to break your betrothal. How’s that supposed to make me feel?”
London rolled her eyes, tired of hearing it. “And how do you think it feels to have my love thrown back in my face? One of the reasons I fell for you, Matt Taylor, was because you were sweet and kind to me when you didn’t have to be. Plus the fact that my heart beats fast whenever you’re near and you consume my every thought. I thought you were different from all the men on Thibius, but you’re just like them, all about yourself. Fine, don’t love me back, but I want you to know the only person who’s made you a victim is you!”
London made sure to look both ways before she crossed the street this time, her righteous indignation carrying her to the other side of the street. She didn’t even look to see if he was following her. If he didn’t believe she really loved him that was his problem and not hers. Why’d she have to fall for a guy with so many issues anyway?
When she rang the doorbell to Mrs. Hines’ house, no one answered. She tried again. Still no answer. “She’s got to be home,” she whispered.
“If she hasn’t answered by now, she’s probably not home,” Matt said at her elbow. She didn’t turn to face him not wanting to look into his face in case she started crying.
“We’ve come so far.”
“I know. But maybe we can go to dinner and when we come back she’ll be here.”
“If you’re looking for Addie, she’s not there. She was taken to the hospital last night complaining about chest pains. They’re keeping her under observation last time I heard.” A lady watering her yard called over to them.
“Which hospital is she at?”
“The one in Wilmington. It’s only about twenty miles away. You get back on the main road, and you can’t miss all the signs.”
Matt nodded in the neighbor’s direction. “Thank you very much.”
“I feel like we keep hitting one dead end after another.”
“I know how you feel. Let’s get something to eat and then head over to the hospital. We can try a pizza place this time,” Matt suggested.
“I’m not really hungry. I just want to get to the hospital to find out information on my sister. The sooner this is over you can get me out of your life right?”
“London—” he began, but she cut him off.
“Let’s just go, Matt, I’m not really in the mood to talk right now.” She walked past him and headed back to his truck.
He’d screwed up. Big time. Deep down when London confessed her love for him, he’d known it was sincere, but he let his old insecurities come to the surface and he’d lashed out at her. Matt realized he shouldn’t have accused her of being a user. Now she was angry at him, and he didn’t know how to rectify it. Things had happened so fast, he didn’t really know how to get a handle on them.
As they drove to the hospital, London sat quietly on her side of the cab instead of sliding next to him like before. He missed her closeness. His balls tightened as he thought of the explosive passion they’d shared. He couldn’t go through the rest of his life without knowing that kind of love again.
Unable to take the silence any longer, he said, “London, we can’t go on like this.”
“Can’t we? You’re the one who set the rules. Isn’t this what you wanted?”
“No, it damn well isn’t. I owe you an apology.”
She turned her head, her lips still tight, but at least she was no longer glaring. “Oh? I’m listening.”
“I shouldn’t have said the things I did or treated you like that. I’m sorry,” he said as humbly as he could.
She didn’t say anything for a while, and he didn’t think she would until a sigh tumbled from her pretty lips. “Then why did you, Matt? You really hurt me you know. I didn’t exactly like being ignored. You’ve been fighting this instant attraction we’ve had for each other from the beginning and when you do finally give in to it, you go all crazy on me. I’m tired of the mixed signals.”
“I can’t blame you if your feelings aren’t the same,” he sighed.
She looked at him with a shake of her head. “That’s just it. You assume that my feelings are so fickle that they’d change. Please give me a little more credit than that. Just because you’re being a jerk right now doesn’t mean my love will cease in an instant. There have been plenty of times when one of my brothers has tried my patience to the absolute limits, and let’s not get started on my parents. I don’t love them any less. Real love is unconditional. Even though you’re a little on the sensitive side, I could no more stop loving you than I could stop breathing.”