Dump and Chase (Nashville Assassins Next Generation 1)

“You loved it with me.”

She snorts. “You’re delusional. But don’t worry, Aiden, I won’t tell anyone. I’m just as embarrassed I slept with you as you are about sleeping with me. So, have a good life.”

I can’t admit to her that I’m not embarrassed at all, and I shouldn’t be as upset as I am that she’s embarrassed to have slept with me. I’m a fucking great lay. So I go on the defensive. “Oh, I plan on it.”

“Good for you,” she says offhandedly. “Maybe you should plan to ID your next fuck too? Do you need rubbers? I can send some over.”

I swear the space between us is on fire. For such a little thing, she is setting me aflame. “You’re pretty obsessed with my sex life. Want a repeat?”

“Repeat that disappointment?” She smirks. “Please. I’m good.”

“You’re so full of it. You were screaming my name.”

“Well, since it was the only name that was known at the time, I figured, what choice did I have? Didn’t want you to forget it too.”

“Wow, you got a smart fucking mouth.” A beautiful, sexy, smart mouth, but no need to tell her that.

The most cunning grin spreads across her pouty lips before she shrugs and says ever so calmly, “Yeah, well, you’re a jackass. So, go fuck yourself very much.”

She then flips me off with both hands before kicking the door open and heading through it.

“Real fucking ladylike. Your mom would be so proud!” I yell as the door shuts with a thud. I cover my face with my hands and shout out in annoyance, “Damn it!”

One thing I can’t deny is that she frustrates the ever-living fuck out of me. She may also turn me on beyond belief. I’m so hard, I can’t even see straight. Yeah, I must stay away from her. But hell if I don’t want to prove her completely wrong and make her scream my name. Then I’ll scream her name, over and over again. Jesus, this has the potential to get complicated. Thankfully, I am a grown man who can control himself just fine around infuriating, sexy, gorgeous, sassy-mouthed little minxes like Shelli Adler.

Damn it, I may be in a smidge of trouble.

Chapter Nine

Shelli

“Who died?”

Amelia’s question should make me laugh, but it doesn’t. I wipe my face free of the stupid tears that fall as I shiver. I try to put my arms in my jacket as Amelia watches me on FaceTime, but I’m shaking so badly with anger and cold that I’m struggling. Only I would run outside in only a bra in the middle of the fucking polar vortex! God, I’m so stupid.

“No one,” I snap as I finally get my jacket on and zipped. “I’m just pissed.”

“At me?”

“No,” I grumble as I turn the heat on blast in my mom’s Ford F-150. Some would say my mom has small-girl syndrome with how big this truck is. But then, the big metal beast does make me feel unstoppable. Well, that is, when I don’t think of Aiden’s dumb face.

“Posey?”

I roll my eyes as I cuddle deep into my coat, covering my face and feeling pretty pathetic. “No.”

“Okay, you gotta give me more. I can’t just stare at you and keep guessing. You’re gonna get pissed and yell at me.”

She knows me so well. I don’t even want to admit what is wrong with me. I feel so pathetic, so sad. I am Shelli Fucking Adler. I have been the lead in six Broadway productions since I was sixteen. I am smart, I am hilarious, and damn it, I am beautiful. How dare some boy make me feel less? “Stupid Aiden Brooks.”

I peek out of my coat to see her eyes widen. “Oh. Oh shit.”

“Yeah, oh shit is right!” I yell, slamming my arms down on the seat as I let my head fall back. “He’s such a prick!”

“I mean, I don’t think too highly of him right now. He’s made you cry. You never cry.”

My lips tremble as I wipe away another tear. I think the last time I truly cried was when my uncle died of cancer. Just thinking of that day makes the tears roll faster. I miss him. He was like a second dad to me. Real situations make me cry. The occasional movie gets me, but I do not cry over guys or frustrating circumstances. Amelia does, but she’s more emotional than I am. I was always told, “You don’t cry. You rub ice in your wound and keep moving on.” Thinking about those words now, they make absolutely no sense. Ice would hurt the wound more. My dad is insane—how am I just realizing this? Ugh. It’s like a pinball game in my head, a million thoughts a minute. But none of that matters; Aiden made me feel literally worthless.