Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 46344 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 232(@200wpm)___ 185(@250wpm)___ 154(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46344 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 232(@200wpm)___ 185(@250wpm)___ 154(@300wpm)
She always thought she had some amazing friends. Demanding at times but supportive. When she withdrew into herself, they didn’t help. No one stuck around to care, and the truth was, she didn’t care for their company either. She was a changed person and couldn’t go back to the way things were before.
Sipping on her milkshake, she passed them without giving them the time of day. Moving on ahead, she stopped outside of a lingerie shop. The mannequins looked really pretty with the outfits they wore, and she wondered what they would look like on her.
Did Dwayne like sexy lingerie?
Why do you care?
She was attracted to him.
Had been for some time now, but she simply didn’t show it.
Finishing off her milkshake, she held it in her hands as she stared at the window knowing deep down she looked like a crazy person just standing there.
Someone took the milkshake out of her hands and tossed the empty carton into the trashcan.
Glancing to her side, she saw it was Dwayne.
Had he been watching her?
Averting her gaze, she stared at the shop window still.
He’d not been there for their appointment.
She wasn’t going to be the first one to speak.
How could he just turn up now?
She was annoyed and happy to see him, which only confused her more.
“You’re late.” She gritted her teeth, hating that she spoke first. He should have been the one to cave, not her.
“I wasn’t late, because I had no intention of turning up.”
She laughed. “Of course. Just keep me waiting for three hours as if I have nothing more important to do with my time. Thanks for that. Wow, I can’t even believe you did that.” She shook her head and moved on, not wanting to talk to him anymore.
“Did you like anything you saw in that window?”
“I liked a whole lot of things, but it doesn’t matter now.” She didn’t pause to look at another window. Instead, she made her way toward the stairs, not expecting him to follow her. Why would he? He’d just admitted to leaving her waiting for three hours. What kind of asshole did that? Not one she wanted to speak with that was for sure.
He didn’t yell her name or tell her stop, but he kept on following her. Grabbing the rail, she made her way down the stairs.
“You can keep running if you want to.”
“Don’t talk to me,” she said.
“You’re mad.”
She stopped on the step and whirled around. “My time may not mean anything to you, but it does to me. You could have told me or done anything to reach out and tell me you weren’t going to be there today. I mean, come on, Dwayne. I thought you were better than that.”
He stepped down until he was right in front of her and she had no choice but to back up until she hit the wall. Dwayne didn’t step down. He advanced toward her, and she stared at him. Was this some kind of test? Did he expect her to attack him?
She wasn’t afraid of him.
Far from it.
Her body was on fire for him, with her dreams being completely devoted to him and him alone. He was messing with her head.
“That was your first mistake, thinking I’m a better person. I’m not a good person, Charity. Never have been and never claimed to be. Don’t sit around waiting for me to fall for you. It’s not going to happen, ever.”
She knew her eyes went wide in shock and her cheeks heated. “I’m not waiting for you, Dwayne. I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“You and I will never happen.”
“Go fuck yourself.” The moment she said the words she hated them.
His blatant rejection stung, and right now she just wanted to get to her car and head home.
“You and I, we’re done. No more training. No more nothing.”
“Fine with me.”
She shoved him away hard and rushed away, hoping the tears would stay at bay long enough. Once inside her car, she pushed the key into the ignition, trying hard to ignore her shaking hand. Her car started, and without a backward glance, she headed on home. The journey back was completely blank. She hoped she didn’t run any red lights or knock anyone down. She was tempted to pull out and drive the same path just to make sure.
Then shaking her doubts to one side, she made her way inside. It had started to rain, and she stood in the driveway looking up at the sky.
“Honey, what on earth are you doing?” her mother said.
“Nothing.”
“Get inside before you catch something. You’re going to be completely frozen to the bone if you’re not careful.”
It may be raining, but it was warm. She wasn’t about to tell her mother that though. Putting her bag on the floor near the door, she stared at her mother.