“Classic! Absolutely classic! Because I’m wearing something that gives a guy a boner, I’m an evil bitch who deserves what she gets?”
“I’m saying you’re naive, and it’s going to get you hurt.”
“Oh, that’s better! Thanks for that clarification. I’m just too stupid to know how to take care of myself! I’ll remember that from now on!”
“Dammit, that’s not what I said and not what I meant.” He stood suddenly, the chair scraping back on the cement in a single powerful motion. He towered over me, clearly agitated, but I was no longer going to listen. I didn’t have it in me to do this, whatever this was.
Screw you, pal!
“Whatever. I’m out of here.” At this point, it was just all too much. At most any other time, I could have coped better, but here was Ryder thinking so poorly of me while I’d been all turned on by him, which left me with a painful case of humiliation. On top of my car being broken into (which was a horrible invasion of my private self) when I couldn’t afford to fix it, there was Cynthia being all weird with me and leaving indefinitely, and I could feel the crumbling begin. My world as I knew it was changing radically (something I don’t handle well), and I needed to get home so I could break down alone in the privacy of my shower.
“Now hold on...”
“For your information—” I spun back around, eyes blazing, though I hated that I could feel my throat clogging with emotion, “—my skirt more than covered my ass, and you’re as much of an asshole as that guy last night, if you think I somehow invited his attention.”
Jerk! I spun around to beat a retreat before I fully broke down. Normally, I avoided situations that could make me feel small and stupid, so why had I invited this? Coming through the gate, I knew I should have gone straight up. Why had I ignored my good sense? As it was, I could feel the hot tears spilling over onto my cheeks. I just didn’t need this today.
He grabbed my arm before I made it three steps.
“Leave me alone.” I tried to jerk free, keeping my head down so he wouldn’t see my face, because I was already horribly embarrassed that he thought I dressed cheaply, which to my mind equals trailer trash (one of my sensitive buttons). I’ve worked so hard to drag myself up from those painful roots to remake myself, knowing I came from what most would term white trash. Added to that, now I was being all stupid and girly with tears.
His grip was like a steel shackle. I couldn’t break free.
“Hold on,” he commanded roughly.
“I don’t want you touching me—”
“Just wait a damn minute. You’re bleeding.”
“Bleeding?” That got my attention, and I peered over my shoulder to see what he was referring to.
Ryder knelt down to where my spandex shorts ended, and sure enough, there were a number of small pieces of glass embedded in the back of my thigh. And now that I could see them and know they were there, they started to sting.
“Ow.” I hissed as he pulled one out. Bright droplets pooled and dripped down my leg at the spot where the small glass piece had been sticking in.
“You have a first-aid kit?”
“I think so. Cynthia, my roommate, does at least.”