“What’s going on?” Neal asked. He leaned against the door post. She spun around to face him. He didn’t like what he saw. Her pale, smooth complexion looked worn and tired. She’d lost weight and considering only a week had passed it was a shock.
“What the fuck do you want?” she asked. He noted she didn’t stop to talk to him. She gathered boxes before brushing past him to her car.
“I came by to see you.”
“Then hurry up. I’ve got places to be, people to meet.”
“Where are you going?”
“I’m leaving.”
“For how long?”
“Forever. This is the type of trip you don’t come back from,” she said with a calm voice.
“What the hell?”
“What’s the matter, Neal? Don’t like the fact you can’t control me?” she taunted.
The box she carried was placed in the back seat.
“Why are you leaving?”
“No reason for me to stay. I’m moving on. I’ve signed over my share of the salon. There is nothing for me here.”
She brushed her hands together while walking past him.
“Sandy, don’t do this,” he said.
“Do what? Move on. You’ve done nothing but treated me like shit. I’ve had enough. This is my fighting back. Get lost, Haney.” She’d never used his last name.
“Does Luke know about this?”
“No. I’m seeing him later.”
Stunned, he watched the men move stuff from her house as she packed the car.
“How can you make a decision like this without talking it through with anyone?” he asked.
“I did. I talked to my sister a few times.”
“Which one, the ice queen?” Neal couldn’t believe this. The woman finally has him where she wants him and she decides to leave,
“She’s not like that. What happened to your face?”
At least she’d looked at him long enough to notice. “I walked into my brother’s fist.”
She nodded her head, then continued with her chores. Neal followed behind her wondering what he could say to get her to stop.
“Don’t you think we should talk about this?” he asked, though he couldn’t think of what to say to prevent this.
“What’s to talk about? I’m tired of leading the same old life. After what you said, I decided leaving would be for the best. They can go to the recycle place,” she said that last to one of the men.
“This is a rash decision.”
“No. This is the right decision.” She moved to her kitchen and began packing away the saucepans.
“Where are you keeping this stuff? You can’t drive and store most of your home,” he pointed out.
“No. I’m taking the barest of essentials with me. The rest is going into storage.”
Neal tried to stop her at every turn. Watching her walk around him as if he didn’t exist hurt him deep.
“Can we just talk?” he asked.
“You’re talking.” She brushed past him. Irritated beyond reason, he reached out, grabbed her arm and pushed her up against the nearest wall. “What are you doing?”
“I need you to stop for a fucking second. You’re leaving me. Leaving us.”
“You made it perfectly clear there is no us. Now there is just a me and a you. I’m taking me far away.”
“Sandy, don’t pretend nothing happened between us. I was there. You were mine,” he said softly. Having her in his arms felt so right. Her scent surrounded him. He realized in that instant he’d come home.#p#分页标题#e#
He leaned closer, heard the hitch in her throat.
“I was never yours. You had me for as long as you wanted. Then threw me away.”
The tears in her eyes broke his heart. He’d been the cause of her pain. “Don’t cry, baby. I’ll make everything better. I promise.”
“Until when? Until you start thinking clearly again? I can’t live my life wondering when you’ll leave, Neal.”
“I’m not leaving you. I swear. I love you,” he confessed. Saying the words lifted a weight off his shoulders. If he had to he’d tie her to his fucking bed and keep her there until she submitted to him.
“No you don’t,” she said.
“Feel this.” He pressed her hand to his heart. “You’re the only woman I ever want.”
His free hand cupped the back of her head. Crushing her against him, he took her lips. Tasting her and loving her. Their moans of pleasure mingled, he knew in those seconds Sandy was his woman to keep for a lifetime.
She gave him everything so easy. Her love, body and trust. He wanted to hear her say the words. To tell him she loved him.