“I’m actually not feeling all that well and I was getting ready to lie back down,” she said as she hugged her robe to her just a little bit tighter.
Dream on, sweetheart. Ashton wasn’t going away that easily. He stepped forward, and her pupils dilated, this time as if she was afraid. That made him even angrier. He’d never hurt her, and he was furious that she would think — for even a second — that he would. No matter how upset he was, he couldn’t hurt her.
Well, he would never hurt her physically. The emotional damage he’d inflicted on her had been plenty. But he didn’t want to be that monster. He wanted to be her hero.
“I’m sure you can make time for an old … let’s just say friend,” he told her. Then he walked right past her into the house.
He heard her heavy sigh as she was left with no other choice but to shut the door or continue letting the cold air inside.
When he turned back around to look at her, his gut clenched. Damn, he had missed this woman, missed her more than he could have ever comprehended. He missed the way she made him laugh, the way she was insatiable in his bed, the way her hand would play with the silken strands of her hair when she was nervous. He just missed — her.
And he was determined to have her back.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Savannah was trying desperately to control her breathing, trying to make sure Ashton couldn’t see from her face or her body language how tough this meeting was on her. She was also trying to keep other things hidden from him, and it was taking a lot out of her to do all of this at once.
The last few months had been horrible for her, and she was only now beginning to be able to function. Seeing him again like this was going to set her back in a big way.
“Can you make this quick, Ashton? I really am tired.” She walked past him with her chin up, and he followed her to the living room. She didn’t take off her robe, but she sat down on the couch, curling her legs beneath her.
“It’s the morning. Why are you so tired?” he asked.
She glared at him. “That’s none of your business, Ashton.”
He leaned against the wall. “What have you been doing lately, Savvy? I looked for you at your university, and I discovered that you were no longer enrolled.”
Dang, why did the man have to be so handsome, even wearing that scowl of his and doing his intimidation thing? She hated that she was still attracted to him even after everything that had happened. She hated even more how much her heart hurt to be in the same room with him and how she didn’t have the right to run her fingers through his hair or lay her head on his chest while he comforted her.
“What do you mean?” she finally said when she realized he’d asked her a question.
“I’ll put this another way, Savannah. Why aren’t you in graduate school?” He then looked toward her front door.
What was he looking for?
“I needed to take a couple of terms off,” she told him.
“Why’s that?”
“I … uh … well …” She felt as if she were being interrogated and she didn’t like the feeling. Did he know? Was he just toying with her? She squirmed uncomfortably on the couch. She was starting to feel her stomach roll and she was desperate to end this conversation.
“You need to go now, Ashton. I don’t want to try to be friends with you,” she told him, angry that she felt close to tears. That anger is what saved her from releasing them.#p#分页标题#e#
“Why can’t we be friends, Savvy? Are you worried your roommate won’t like it?” he snarled.
“Why would I be worried about that?”
“Really? You have no idea what I’m talking about? I saw the guy walk out of here, Savvy. I saw the kiss,” he shouted, coming closer.
“So what? Why are you raising your voice like this?” What the heck was going on?
“Because I don’t like that you jumped from my bed into some other guy’s,” he said, his body tense as he looked down at her.
“Ashton, this isn’t what it looks like, but even if it were, it’s not your concern, and you know it.” She stopped speaking when she saw his eyes flash.
“Dammit, Savvy. I love you, okay? I love you so much I hurt from it. I can’t think of anyone else but you. I can’t stand the thought of you with another man, of him touching you, laughing with you, taking care of you. It makes me want to smash my fists into the wall. I just … I screwed up. I know I did. But I know you love me too, and we’re meant to be together. Don’t let stupid mistakes keep us apart.”
Though those words meant everything to her, they also meant nothing. He was only there out of jealousy, obviously because he believed she was in a new relationship. He was still engaged to Kalli, and he still wasn’t hers. He could never be hers.