Despite my reluctance, I stood up. “Sure. Yeah. We should go.”
As we readied to leave, Marni came over and gave me a big hug. “Rich Boy, it was so good to see you. I’m glad you decided to come.”
“I’ll be sure to invite myself over again the next time I’m in town.”
“You’re always welcome here. Always.”
“That means the world to me. And so did getting to meet Julia.”
Raven hugged Marni before we walked together out to my car.
The short ride down the road to Raven’s house was quiet, but the intensity that had lingered with us all day remained.
When I pulled up to her house, I got out to walk her to the door.
“Your house looks the same,” I said.
“Yeah. I haven’t really done anything to it.”
I looked around a bit more. “Being here makes it feel like yesterday.”
More specifically, it reminded me of the night she broke up with me, when I felt like my world was over.
Raven was silent, just staring at me, though her eyes told me she wanted to say something.
I spoke first. “Despite anything that happened between us, I’ve only ever wanted the best for you. I hope you find your happiness.” I stalled for a long time before finally pushing myself to go. “I’ll see you tomorrow at the house.”
Just as I turned to walk back toward my car, she called after me.
“Wait.”
My heart sped up, thinking she might say something compelling. Instead, she unzipped my hoodie, took it off, and held it out to me. When I took it, our hands touched. She still looked so…sad.
On impulse, I wrapped the hoodie back around her shoulders before using the sleeves to pull her into an embrace. I just felt like she needed it. Or maybe it was me who needed it.
“Keep the hoodie.”
She buried her head in my chest. She was so much shorter than me that her head naturally landed right over my heart. I knew she could feel how fast it was beating.
Then she started to sob.
What the fuck is happening?
I moved to see her face. “Look at me. Look into my eyes.” When she finally did, I said, “I don’t care how much time has passed. I don’t care what’s happened in our lives… I’m still me. It’s me, Raven. You can tell me anything. Tell me why you’re crying. Tell me why you’re sad. Please.”
I wrapped my hands around her face and wiped her tears with my thumbs. She wouldn’t stop. I leaned my forehead to hers and listened to the sound of her shaky breaths.
I knew this was completely inappropriate. But my emotions were controlling me right now; my need to comfort her trumped all else.
Each time she exhaled, I inhaled, tasting her breath. It was all I’d allow myself, and yet it was everything.
When I closed my eyes for a moment, I felt her lips on mine. Shocked at the contact, I pulled back.
Raven looked like she’d just broken out of a trance. “Oh my God. I…I don’t know what came over me. I’m so sorry.”
“It’s okay.”
It wasn’t that I didn’t want to kiss her—I wanted that more than anything. But I knew it was wrong.
She rushed to the door. “No! No, it’s not. I kissed you. It’s not okay. So not okay. I…I have to go.”
“Raven, don’t leave.”
She was freaking out. “I have to go,” she repeated before fumbling with her key and entering the house. She slammed the door behind her.
Even though I hadn’t initiated the kiss, guilt consumed me. I’d wanted it. I’d wanted to taste Raven’s lips so damn badly all night. Isn’t wanting to cheat almost as bad as cheating itself? Paige deserved better than a man who was still hung up on someone else.
Fuck. That was the honest truth, as much as I tried to deny it.
I needed to get over this. Needed to get over her. I could never trust someone who’d ditched me so easily, I reminded myself. She would do it again, and I wouldn’t survive it a second time. I cared for her—always would—but she was dangerous. I had to walk away.
Raven was like a drug. I was fine until I let myself have a little taste of her again. And now I could feel myself spiraling. The only way to truly rid myself of her was to go cold turkey, cut emotional ties and let her go.
Let. Her. Go.CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE* * *RAVENI sat huddled on my bed as the evening rain pummeled my window.
What was I thinking?
I kissed him.
Shutting my eyes tighter, I cringed.
How had I lost control? It seemed to just happen. When he’d placed his face so close to mine, the need for one last taste of him became unbearable. Breathing him in had transported me to another time, another world—one where there were no consequences.