It doesn’t, however, apply to people. When someone tells you no, they don’t want your advances, they don’t want your attention—that means no. It ends there.
That doesn’t mean convince them or harass them until they change their mind. That’s what I was doing. I was convinced that Coach would change his mind if I kept trying. Maybe he thought I was teasing. Maybe he didn’t know that I was serious.
Maybe I was a big asshole.
I finally got the message. After feeling like I was an inch tall as Coach reminded me what the fuck no means, I think I finally got the message.
It means no. It means stop. Leave me alone. I don’t like what you’re doing. I’m not interested.
I have texted myself ‘no means no’ and keep it unread and pinned to the top of my chats just so I can see it frequently. A reminder to myself that I’m not going to be a toxic male presence in this world. There are enough of them.
I’m happy for that lesson from someone who wanted to teach it, and not someone who wanted to charge me with harassment. I’d have deserved it, but I’m incredibly thankful that it didn’t come to that.
I’m also thankful that, while my crush isn’t entirely gone and my heart still aches like a breakup, I’m able to see those around me now. I can see Dana for the man he is. The sweet man who has flirted, and I was fucking oblivious.
I’m excited to see more of the man he reveals to me.
A streak of lightning lights up the room like the bright morning sun, and a crash of thunder shakes the cabin. Dana bolts upright and looks around, chest heaving. It takes him a second to turn to me, and his eyebrows knit together.
I was right. He’s adorable with those curls forming.
“Peyton,” he says. Not quite a question, but a bit of disbelief in his tone.
I reach up and tug gently at a curl. “I guess the storm isn’t ready to call it quits,” I point out.
He huffs. “Nearly gave me a damn heart attack. I thought a tree was coming through the building.”
“Not quite, though I imagine it’s a possibility.”
Dana gives me a wary look. “Thanks for the comfort,” he deadpans.
I laugh. With my hand in his hair, I tug him down to me and touch my mouth to his. He sighs, letting his body fall back on top of me. I grip his ass cheek and haul him more fully onto the bed, earning myself a smile against my lips.
“It’s weird that you’re here,” he mutters.
“Where did you think I’d go?”
He shakes his head. “I just…” He sighs. “I mean, I guess I’m still partially convinced that I’m going to wake up and this will have been my imagination. You’ve never looked at me twice.”
I bury my hand in his hair and kiss him again. “That’s not a reflection on you, Dana. This is going to sound lame and you’re going to think I’m letting you down easy, but it had nothing at all to do with you and everything to do with me.”
“You’re right. That sounds like an excuse. You blended in with the crowd, Dana. No offense.”
I wince, laughing. “No. Okay, yes, but not just you. Everyone did.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means I spent the last two and a half years crushing on a man who was completely unattainable. He never wanted me. He never gave me any indication that he was even the slightest bit interested. Even if it were him here right now, this would not be happening. I’m sure I’d be on the floor because he’s a damn diva queen and would take the bed for himself. Trust me, it had nothing to do with you and everything to do with my unhealthy obsession with a man I had absolutely no chance with.”
Dana picks his head up to look at me. “I’m sorry. That must really suck to feel… rejected?”
“Mm,” I agree, nodding. “It does. But you know what? I needed to be told no. For both of us. I’ve wasted a lot of time obsessing, and he’s tired of telling me no nicely. I needed the harder lesson.”
“That’s… good.”
I grin. We both jump when another flash of lightning, immediately followed by a loud boom of thunder, fills the cabin.
“Guess we’re not leaving today,” I say.
