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I shifted in my seat "Because…" My voice sounds whiny and juvenile, and I hate it "Don is an ass and I wanted to hurt him like he hurt Seth"
"You didn’t think thatDaniel’s--"
"Don’s," I correct her
"Right--I’ Don’s world down--being as arrogant and self-important as he is" Mom bites back a smile "I hate to say it, honey, but you’re the one es the apology here"
Moht? I sink lower on the couch, instantly feeling like an idiot "How do you knohen you’re right and they’re not?"
She chuckles, slappingLesson one on hter types You want to come out on top? Don’t sweat the sht Like your father, Seth is going to say stupid, hurtful things to you at one tiood ones have their moments, but at the end of the day, if they canelse, if they show you just how s are just bumps in an otherwise sht Morown so much since Dad’s death I don’t even kno to explain it We have conversations without arguing--actual full length conversations I can’t reo see Seth at lunch ti Don cruy is enough Mo me to lie down and stretch out My eyes beco asleep
Three strong knocks rap on the door androo pitch black I push myself off the couch and clirowls and churns because I haven’t eaten today Instead of ht of food
There’s another knock against the wood and I shuffle slowly towards it I flick the light switch on and pull the door open On the other side of the screen stands Seth in a white shirt that clings tightly to his chest and arms My heart rate instantly skyrockets Not out of fear or intimidation, but out of pure unwholesoize to hi to make it as painful as possible
"You’re happy to see aze tomy less than impressed expression, he opens the screen and holds it, all while looking aton the planet
"You’ve been asleep this whole tiht" But of course he knows that
Seth’s ahting for a second longer, Olivia" His voice is co mad at hiht," I interrupt hione to Don, or at the very least, I should have told you" I step forward "And you shouldn’t have hurt that guy to get back at ain"
He shakes his head "I can’t promise you that"
"Seth--"
He leans forward an inch "I’ I can’t keep I can promise you I’ll always be here for you or that I’ll never be unfaithful to you, but I can’t promise I won’t hurt you in other ways It’s what I do, it’s who I as"
I hugned a contract agreeing to bewherever and however I please If they don’t like it, they can always leave"
The fact he’s being so careless is beyond me and quite frankly, it pricks atbut honest with you froe, not now Not ever"
"I don’t want you to change"
"Then what do you want? What can I say--or do--or give you to make you happy?"
I don’t want to tell him ill make me happy I want hi I’ve ever thought because even I don’t knohat I want--I want him I want us to be happy and not act like children
"I don’t want to fight with you anymore You win"
His face softens in a way that …so why do I feel like shit right now?" He steps forward and playfully strokeseyes you’re giving me"
My lips curl into a s hs once "Yes, actually, it does"
I step aside and Seth crosses the threshold and into the house Before we settle in for night, I shut all of the curtains and checked all of the rooe Mom isn’t here I stroll into the kitchen where Seth casually sits on the counter, drinking a big glass of cool water
"Your Mom left you a note" He hides his over-confident slass as he takes anotheron the whiteboard stuck to the fridge, there’s aon a dinner cruise with your Aunt Kate, re
PSWho bit you? Never ers under my cotton shirt and over the flesh Seth sank his teeth into last night "Well, that has to be theoff the counter and coraze faintly across ers curl around the edges of ers from the bite and almost immediately, Seth’s lips sensually brush over it
"I’ shivers cascading down ets ers tre to touch him "I liked it"
And I did No word of a lie The frisson of energy his teeth sent throughI’d let hih, relaxing against hiainst ret it"