“Gina! Answer me!” I shouted.
“I was kidding. When she asked me who I was, I said it in a playful way.”
A playful way. Holy shit.
“Get out of my house and don’t you ever come back.”
“Tucker, baby, please.”
Gina moved toward me, her arms reaching out, but I shook my head. I knew months ago things were over between us. Why it had taken me so long to kick her ass to the curb was beyond me. We had nothing in common.
“Get out.”
She shook her head. “Let me explain. If we could only—”
Taking her elbow, I pulled her to the door and grabbed her backpack, pushing them both outside.
“Get. The. Fuck. Out! And don’t ever come back or try to contact me.”
Turning, I rushed up to my bedroom to get dressed. I knew what I had to do, and I wasn’t about to wait a minute longer.
I STOOD OUTSIDE Charlie’s penthouse. What in the hell was I even doing here? For the last seven years the two of us had exchanged jabs, dirty looks, and heated glares. Most of the time they were sexually heated, but we both ignored it. She walked away that weekend, never looking back. I knew why; Lily had told me, but it still didn’t help with the hurt and anger that she just wasn’t honest with me … that she didn’t think I would support her and help her build her career.
Seeing her this morning brought all those feelings I’d locked down right back up to the surface. I had never wanted a woman more than I wanted Charlie and at the same time, I refused to open my heart to her again. Especially knowing she had planned to deceive me.
But here I stood, outside her place, getting ready to jump full into this little game she played. I felt like a dick, but a small part of me knew why I did it. If I could get any part of her, even if temporarily, I’d do it.
Knocking, I waited for her to open the door. I figured she would open the door and then slam it right in my face. However, when it opened, she frowned and let me in. I was surprised. Of course, she was on the phone and distracted. She was talking business. Christ, it was Saturday, and she was taking a business call. Guess she has a lot of pieces to pick up after her parents’ funeral.
I rolled my eyes and looked around her place. It was cute. “Charming” would be the better word. It looked as if Charlie liked antique furniture and the colors blue and white. My eyes wandered around the room. I could tell it had been remodeled, and Charlie stayed with the charm of the original building. I couldn’t help but smile … Seemed like we had something in common.
Feeling something at me feet, I looked down and let out a terrifying girly scream.
A pillow hit my head, causing me to look over to Charlie. She leaned against the giant windowsill looking beyond pissed off. When I glanced back down, I saw a cat. A cat that had been shaved.
Yes. I said shaved.
“What in the hell happened to you?” The cat looked up at me and if I hadn’t known any better, I would have sworn the little fucker gave me a dirty look. I hated cats. Well, “hate” might have been a strong word.
No … I hated cats.
“Listen, Paul, it’s Saturday afternoon and you and I both know this is a bullshit call of yours. This can wait until Monday, so until then, I’m through with this conversation. Unless it’s an emergency, I’m off the clock. Yeah, well, that was my father. It’s my company now.”
My cock jumped in my pants at how she talked to this douche with authority. It was hot as hell.
She frowned at something this Paul guy said to her.
“Have a good day.”
Jamming her finger against her phone, she took it and acted like she was going to throw it across the room. Instead, she held her hand up, tossed the phone onto the sofa, and dramatically let out a scream so loud I nearly jumped ten feet into the air.
“I hate that man!”
My brows lifted.
“Better him than me.”
Her angry gaze snapped over to me.