Dump and Chase (Nashville Assassins Next Generation 1)

She shakes her head. “As much as I should say yes…no, it’s not the only reason.”

I move past her, unlocking the door. “Come in.”

“Thanks,” she says, walking by me, and I can’t help but check out her perfect ass. Her heels click on my hardwood as she goes toward my bar and plugs in her phone. She pulls out the barstool and sits down, crossing those naughty boots over each other before setting me with a look. “Did you fight him because of me?”

I lay my phone and keys beside her phone as I nod. “I did.”

She shakes her head. “What am I supposed to do with that?”

“I don’t know. All I know is I’m sorry.”

I try to meet her gaze as she looks away. “For what?”

“Everything.”

She presses her glossed-up lips together as she laces her fingers. “You aren’t a fighter. You’re a scorer. What the hell got into you? I mean, shit, Aiden, look at your face. He got you good.”

She reaches out, touching my jaw and wincing. I lean into her hand, my eyes meeting hers. “Figure since I don’t have tattoos, it would help my man-bun look.”

I was hoping she would at least smile, but she doesn’t as her hand drops. “Aiden, come on. Stop being cute.”

I take a step toward her, moving my hand onto hers. “He said he fucked you, and I went crazy.”

She rolls her eyes as she moves her hand from underneath mine, crossing her arms again. “Have we slept together? Yes, but we stopped sleeping together before Christmas. It was a short thing, nothing big. He wanted more. I didn’t.”

I look down at the floor as I nod. “So, you didn’t sleep with him last night?”

“No, Aiden. Not that it matters. You made that very clear.”

“But it does.”

Our eyes meet as she shakes her head. “Funny way of showing it.”

“Shelli, I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to say what I did or even imply it.”

“I’ve heard this apology before,” she says matter-of-factly, her gaze locked with mine. “I honestly don’t know why I am here. I shouldn’t be. You’ve practically screamed in my face that I don’t mean shit to you.”

“You do,” I stress, taking her hand in mine. “Shell, I promise you do.”

“Then why are you such a dick about stuff? Yeah, maybe it was a little weird I helped with the house, but you didn’t have to say I was just a fuck. My mom says I romanticized our situation and rushed into it, and maybe I did. But I thought—”

I cover her lips with my fingers. “I didn’t mean to say that. I just got really overwhelmed. It was all so much at once, and it made me uncomfortable. These feelings… I don’t know what to do with them,” I say, moving my hands along my chest.

She shakes her head. “I’m unafraid to make you uncomfortable, Aiden. I want you to feel things only I can make you feel because you do the same to me.”

“Well, you’re doing a great job.”

“What does that even mean?”

“I don’t know,” I say, and by the way her face scrunches up, I know it wasn’t the right thing to say.

“You know what? You were better off as a crush.”

“No, don’t say that.”

“Oh, I’m not done!” she yells, getting up, her chin tipped up at me. “I wish I hadn’t ever met you because, damn it, you’re too hard to forget.” She’s frantic and angry. Gorgeous.

“You’re so beautiful.”

“Aiden! Really?”

“You want me to say what I think? I think you’re beautiful.”

“No, you don’t even know what you want, and it drives me crazy!”

“You think it doesn’t drive me crazy?” I ask, pressing my hand to my chest.

“It’s bullshit. I don’t want this. I don’t want all this,” she says, moving her hands over her heart, her eyes wild. “Yet, the feelings are there, and I can’t shake them.”

I move to her, but she holds up her hand, stopping me. I reach out, taking her hand and lacing our fingers together. “You think I do? Do you think I wanted to wake up next to you? A fucking beautiful angel who is not only gorgeous but also witty, sassy, and someone I want to have smile at me? Not only all that, but my boss’s daughter? I mean, shit, Shell. I wanted a fucking one-time whore, and what I got was a fucking angel! So yeah, the situation sucks, but you don’t. You’re amazing, and while I know I need to get you out of my head, I can’t.”

Her eyes are wild, wide as she stares up at me. “And what do we do about it?”

“Fuck, I don’t know, because as much as I want you, I know it can’t happen. That’s what’s holding me back, Shelli. I have all these feelings, feelings I don’t even understand. Don’t you understand? I’ve never been with anyone more than once. I’ve never been in a relationship because no one has ever made me think about one until you. I don’t even know what that means or what I’m feeling. It’s fucking crazy.”