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“That’s because of you, and I learned that when you grow up in a world of fear and prejudice you can’t change anyone—not unless they want to change.”
“Is that why you stayed away for so long?”
“Partially…and it’s partially because I was working non-stop for the last five years.”
“And what do you expect to happen now, baby?” he questioned lifting her chin to stare into her beautiful green eyes. “I can’t simply let you go—disappear from my life after knowing everything you did.”
“Ty…nothing can happen between us—nothing more than what already has,” she stated, sitting up to slip off the bed as someone knocked on the door. She moved over and checked to see who it was, grabbing her robe before cracking the door open to see what Angela needed.
“Justine, I’m so sorry to disturb you this early but we had a plumber come to work on an issue upstairs. He has to tear out part of the flooring up there and ceiling down here in this old place to get to it. I hate doing this to you, but I have to move you to a different room.”
“It’s fine Angela,” she said giving her a half smile, “give me say…thirty minutes?”
“Take your time, I put you in the king business suite on the top floor for the inconvenience. If you need help with your bags…”
“I can manage it,” she assured the woman, taking the key she held out and Angela turned nearly tripping over the newspaper that was sitting in the hallway yesterday that she’d ignored. Her brain kept telling her it was normal for their town to deliver the paper to the hotel rooms, but her instincts wouldn’t let her begin to touch the thing to keep herself safe.
“Oops, looks like you forgot this. Each room gets a copy of the Sunday paper delivered to it as an added perk, so this oneis yours,” Angela said picking it up for her. “Sunday’s paper has tons of gossip in it still. It’ll help you get caught up on a bit of it.”
“Thanks Angela,” she stated, taking the paper before closing the door as she looked at Tyler sitting, thankfully, out of view on the end of the bed. “You should go.”
“We still need to talk Justine,” he argued, and she didn’t want him raising his voice if someone was still out in the hallway.
“Fine but get dressed and don’t let anyone see you,” she cautioned, dressing quickly as she grabbed the rest of her things to head to the other room.
He took the back hallway up to the floor where the suite was, giving her extra time to get her bags put away before going to knock on the door. She answered it with a full glare that shocked him with the way they’d left things, and he had no clue what was going on with her, confused yet again by her sudden change of attitude.
“Go away, I don’t want to see you again,” she said keeping a hand on the door.
“Just, what’s wrong now?” he asked, glancing into the space to make sure no one else was there that might have caused it but all he saw was the newspaper open on the table that split the kitchenette with the rest of the living room space.
“What’s wrong? Oh, I don’t know, Tyler. What on earth could Ipossiblybe furious at you for after last night?” she said lifting a brow at him.
“That’s exactly what I’m asking because last night was more incredible than any night we’ve ever had.”
“Until yourfiancéeshowed up at my door,” she tossed at him moving to shut the door in his face, furious with herself that she’d allowed him to pull her in so deep. To think he felt anything close to what she was last night—that he’d actually forgiven her for leaving, realized everything she’d done was for him, so he could be happy even if she never was.
Tyler swore under his breath as he moved quickly, getting his foot in the doorway in order to slip inside with her, shutting it before anyone overheard them. “It’s not what you think.”
“Isn’t it? My god, what was last night to you Tyler? Payback? Did you enjoy getting me to spill everything, admit that I never truly wanted to leave? Were you just laughing the entire time knowing how much you could hurt me today?” she asked unable to stop her heart and pride from smarting.
“No, Just, it was none of them,” he said calmly moving over to her, pulling her into his hold despite her attempts to stop him. “Hurting you was the absolute last thing on my mind last night and this morning. Since I saw you yesterday, the only thing I’ve wanted was you—to have you back in my life for good. I don’t care about the feud. I don’t care what anyone in this town thinks. I love you. I’ve always loved you and nothing will ever stop me from loving you.”
“Love me?” Justine said shaking her head in disbelief. “How can you stand there claiming you love me when you’reengagedto someone else?”
“Because I’m not in love with her and she’s not in love with me and we both know it.”
“No? So then why are you engaged to her?” she questioned moving out of his hold because being in his arms was too much.
“Mutual diversion for the rest of town,” he stated making her brow lift higher his way as she shook her head refusing to believe it. “Angela’s still in love with her ex and I never wanted to fall in love with anyone after you.”
“Really?” she scoffed. “That’s what you’re going with? I mean out ofeveryonein town you could choose you pick Angela—the girl who had the biggest crush on you early in high school?”
“Justine, I swear there’s nothing between me and Angela…nothingbaby,” he said sliding his hand into her hair before covering her lips with his.
“Only a wedding planned for four weeks from now,” she countered, pulling back as the need built so deeply inside her it was almost impossible to resist again, and moved away from him again. “Even if there’s not—I still can’t do this Tyler. I can’t be in a relationship—not with you—not with anyone.”
“Why? Who broke your heart so badly that you won’t risk it for us again?” Tyler asked turning her around to face him after she began to walk away.
