A Mate for York(48)

She somehow managed to get her mouth to close.

“Can I come in?” Deep and velvety. His voice was like rich, dark chocolate. Melted and dripping in thick rivulets. It made her hungry for things she couldn’t have…make that didn’t want!

“No.” She tried to close the door but he put a boot in the way. “I suggest you move it or lose it.” Her voice sounded really confident. Way to go Cassidy.

“I need five minutes…please. I need to explain.” His eyes shone with sincerity and his voice was filled with remorse.

For a second…just one…she was tempted to let him in. Then she remembered how he’d used her. Lied to her. Made a fool of her. Her resolve hardened and she shook her head. “Like I said before, I don’t want your brand of apology. Please just go away.”

His jaw clenched and he sucked in a breath through his nose. For a brief moment it looked as if he was going to back off. Instead, he took a small step towards her, putting him mere inches away.

She had to crane her neck to maintain eye contact. “Go…as in leave…as in turn around and walk away. I’m not interested in what you have to say.” Please go.

“What Brant said was bullshit! That’s not why I went to see you that night.” Again, he looked so honest. Like every word was heartfelt. She wasn’t buying it. No way.

Cassidy shook her head. “Look…I don’t know why you’re really here, maybe you get off on messing with people’s minds or something. Maybe you’re some sadistic fuck. I don’t know. You’ve said your piece and now you can go.”

“You don’t believe me,” York growled. “I’m not leaving until you hear me out. I’ll camp outside this door if I have to.”

“Good luck with that since I’m leaving in the morning. My bags are packed and everything.” She blurted, feeling like an idiot.

A pained expression crossed his face for a second before he schooled his features. His eyes burned with an intensity that scared her. “I will follow you, Cassidy. Wherever you go, so you might as well hear me out now so that we can both move on.”

“That’s stalker behavior. You sound like one of those crazies.” A seriously gorgeous stalker. In fact, he was the one that should have stalkers not the other way around.

York smiled and gave a small shrug. “I don’t like the way things ended between us. I’ve done a couple of crazy things since meeting you so one more won’t matter.” He reached out, almost touching her arm but pulled back at the last second. “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t mean it. Why would I care enough? Brant is full of shit. Think about it. Please let me in. I never used you, I swear.”

Cassidy rolled her eyes and sighed heavily before looking him in the eyes for a few beats. This was a bad idea but what he said made sense. Why would he care enough to be here if he had used her? Unless he needed something more from her. Maybe he had something else to prove. She started shaking her head.

“I fucking loved our night together,” he growled. “It had nothing to do with the program or Brant or anything else. The only thing that mattered was you…our attraction. The pull I feel for you…” He ran a hand over his head. “I know you feel it too. It’s why…” His eyes moved to the side. Someone walked by, slowing down as they neared her door so that they could gawk at what was happening.

Once the person was out of earshot, his eyes moved back to hers. “That’s why I’m standing here…like a big fat loser…at your front door begging to be let in.”

“You’re not a loser.”

“I’ve never had to beg a female so much in my whole life.” He was grinning. “Never.” He shook his head. “Maybe I should go.” York shoved his hands in his pockets and stepped back far enough to allow her to close the door.

She didn’t move.

His eyes softened. Turning from stormy blue to the color of the sky on a sunny day. “I hope you believe me. It was never my intention to ruin your life or to hurt you.”

“You didn’t ruin my life…that was a bit overdramatic. It did hurt just a tiny”—she held her thumb and index finger a few millimeters apart—“teeny bit to think that you had used me, that’s all.”

“I didn’t use you. I wanted you...” It looked like he wanted to say something more but swallowed the words. His Adam’s apple worked. “I’ll go now…I’m sure that—”

“Come in.” Cassidy interrupted him, stepping back, she held the door open. “Stay for a drink,” her eyes flashed to his. “I have tea, coffee, water…I don’t have much I’m afraid.” She quickly added, sure to let him know that her blood was not on the menu.