“You’re an asshole.”
“Tell me something I don’t know.”
Sonofabitch, now I sound like a child.
I slam the door closed after we enter our room, and she jumps at the sound. Finally releasing her, I put some distance between us.
“What set you off?” I ask.
“Nothing.”
“Dammit, woman, talk to me,” I plead. “Why are you pissed off?”
“I don’t know!” she shouts.
I soften at the uncertainty in her voice. She knows exactly what sent her into a drinking frenzy, and I know she’ll spit it out when she’s damn good and ready, so I cross the room to sit on the couch and wait her out.
It takes longer than I expect, but eventually, she’s standing in front of me. When she grips the hem of her black top and pulls it off, my cock jerks.
“What are you doing?” I ask.
“I wanna feel good,” she whispers. “Make me feel good, Lyric.”
There is nothing I want more, other than for all of her memories to return, but I’m not so much of a dick that I’d take advantage of her when she’s clearly not thinking straight.
Rather than cup her tits like my body is begging me to do, I tug her forward, so she straddles my lap. I pull the soft blanketfrom the back of the sofa and drape it around her shoulders to cover her.
“What had you downing shots?” I ask gently.
She rolls her eyes as she tries to stand, but I hold her in place. “I told you, I don’t know.”
“Bullshit.”
“What do you want from me?” she counters.
“I want you to talk to me,” I say. “I know you don’t remember, but we’ve always been able to talk about anything.”
Mellie chews on her bottom lip, and tears fill her eyes. Before they can spill over, she swipes them away. “You said that you love me.”
Her voice is so low, barely above a whisper, and for a moment, I wonder if I heard her right. When she doesn’t continue, and refuses to look at me, I know I did.
“Because Idolove you.”
“Why?”
“Why what?”
“Why do you love me?” she asks. “I’m broken, not at all the girl you say you fell in love with.”
“Aw, baby, no,” I croon. “You are exactly who I fell in love with, whether you remember or not. And the last thing you are is broken.” I run my thumbs across the apples of her cheeks. “We might not have gotten to our actual vows, but that doesn’t mean I’m not living them. I will love you through the good, the bad, and everything in between. You’re mine, no matter what, and I’m yours.”
“What if I never remember?”
I shrug. “Then you don’t. The past doesn’t have to dictate the future. We’ll make new memories.”
“It’s not fair to you,” she says. “Maybe I should get my own place, figure myself out before dragging you farther down this road.”
I clench my jaw so I don’t lash out at her ridiculous suggestion. She’s scared, uncertain, and likely very overwhelmed. The last thing she needs is shit from me.
