I go to the front office and pull Laney into my arms. She’s still blushing from our escapade in the office earlier and when I bend to hold her in my arms, I’m pleased to know that she smells of me. Knowing that my scent is on her makes my possessive streak come out full force.
I kiss her long and deep. I want her to have it fresh in her mind that she doesn’t need Keith and that she can do better. She deserves better.
“I’m here for you, don’t forget that,” I say to her when I end the kiss.
17
Laney
I have got to stop kissing him like this. Every time I fall deeper for him and he’s never going to want to settle down. It’s just not in him.
As he pulls back and tells me that he is here for me, I’m not sure what to think. Is he so close to me that he can tell what I’m thinking? Or is this his way of letting me know that our friends with benefits relationship is coming to an end?
Pain and fear crash through me at the possibility of losing him.
I don’t want him to see me panicking, so I turn away from him and outside I see someone parking their car.
Don’t they see the closed sign?
Then when a man gets out I pause, recognizing something about him though I can only see his silhouette.
When he cups his hand and peers into the shop through the glass I can see clearly that it’s Keith.
How did he know where to find me?
I open the door and let him inside as it sinks in that my dad must have told him where I would be.
“You haven’t been returning my calls,” Keith says.
“Our life together is over. I have no reason to call you, do I?”
Keith looks past me, and I feel Austin’s presence and his support when he puts his hand at the small of my back.
Keith takes a step toward me and I feel Austin stiffen at my back. Keith looks over my head, and whatever look Austin is giving him stops him in his tracks, but he continues, “I’m sorry about how things ended. I told you then that I would give you time because I was going to do whatever I had to do to win you back. I’m here to do just that.”
I almost laugh, but catch myself. “You can’t. You made your choice when you had sex with your massage therapist in our bed.”
Keith reaches for me and I stiffen up, knowing that once he’s got a hold of me he’ll do that thing he does where he commands me and tries to bend me to his will. And even though I’m stronger now, I can’t help but feel even stronger when Austin puts his arm out, blocking Keith from putting his arm around me. Austin’s voice is deep and demanding in my ear. “If Laney wants you to touch her, she’ll let you know. Until then, keep your hands to yourself.”
Keith is frustrated, but we all know he’s not going to go against Austin. He’s always been intimidated by him. But he still doesn’t give up. He pleads with me. “It was a mistake. You were pulling away. You admitted that to me before you left. You gave up on us before we were over and it drove me to do what I did.”
I start to nod, but then catch myself. “We were having problems, but I didn’t go sleep with someone else. You made your choice.”
“This isn’t you—” Keith starts to say, reaching for my hand this time.
“No,” I say, feeling stronger with Austin behind me. “You never knew me. You controlled me. You told me what to be, and who to see. You never loved me, and I lied to myself telling myself that I was in love with you. I didn’t want to make a mistake and marry someone who wouldn’t want to settle down. You fooled me there. I thought you’d be loyal and safe.”
“I am.”
“No. No you’re not. Listen to me, Keith. There is no chance for you to win me back. I don’t want anything from you, but most of all I don’t want you, Keith.”
He takes a step back, looking at me like I’m someone else, a stranger, someone he really doesn’t know.
He puts his hands on his hips. “I don’t know why you’re acting like this, but if I leave now, I’m not coming back. I won’t forgive you for treating me like this.”
Thank God, I think to myself. I just want this over. “I understand. Goodbye forever, Keith.”
He stands there open-mouthed and doesn’t even seem to notice when Austin moves around me and opens the door for him. “She said goodbye. It’s time for you to leave. Go. If you come back you’ll get thrown out of town in such a way that you won’t forget not to come back. Hopefully, you’re smart enough to get it this time.”