Spitfire in Love (Chasing Red 3)

“You’re an asshole,” I said.

“I know.”

“Why should I listen to you?”

“You shouldn’t.”

“All right. I’m fucking out.”

“Kara.”

I took a deep, shaky breath. I licked my lips. They felt dry.

“Open your window.”

I cracked it open a little bit.

“A little more,” he said. Was there a hint of a smile on his mouth?

How dare he smile right now?

“Will you come out of the car and talk to me?”

“That depends.”

He waited.

Oh, I knew he could be infuriatingly patient. We were complete opposites. I didn’t have any patience. But that wasn’t what mattered now. Why should I give him a chance? Why should I listen to him now?

There was no explanation. My body was already doing it before I even made up my mind. He moved away as I pushed the door open and got out of the car. I stepped away from him. Far, far away from his reach.

“Talk,” I said. As coldly as I could.

“Will you look at me?”

“No,” I said, crossing my arms across my chest. “I will not look at you.”

But he waited.

I blew out a loud breath and glared up at him. “What?”

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I’m sorry, Kara.”

My traitorous heart jumped in my chest. He was releasing the heaviness wrapped around it, melting it away. I fought it. Fought it hard.

“You think saying sorry is enough?”

He looked down for a moment, then lifted his eyes back up to mine. He looked like a man fighting with himself.

Since I’d met him, he’d always looked confident, sure of himself. But now as he stood in front of me, he looked uncertain for the first time.

He opened his mouth, about to say something, then closed it. He looked up at the sky, blew out a frustrated breath. Rubbed his hand over his face.

I wanted to tell him to spit it out, whatever the hell he wanted to say, but I was afraid he’d close up again if I did. I shouldn’t be with this man. I shouldn’t give him another chance, but the raw need I saw in his face—the need for me to stay and listen to him—was clear to me. And it struck something in my heart.

Your heart can’t be trusted.

“I’ve never felt the way I feel about you with anyone before. And…” He raked his hands in his dark, silky hair. “And it’s fucking killing me. I don’t want to screw it up, but I ruin everything around me and I don’t want…with you… I don’t know where I’m going with this.”