He flips me onto my back and hovers over me, his hair a wild mess. “But what about your apartment? You don’t need to stay to make sure they clean it correctly?”
This man has always made my heart sing. Even with his disheveled hair and sleepy eyes, he’s still the most handsome man I’ve ever seen.
At this point, the chances of my crush going away are nonexistent.
“Nastya promised to help.” I cup his cheek, caressing his skin. “She’ll check on the place once the work is done.”
He arches a brow. “Why didn’t you ask me? I don’t have plans to go anywhere this summer.”
“I didn’t want to bother you.” And because I can’t predict what kind of mood he’ll be in.
“Or you don’t think I’m reliable.” He rolls away and sits on the edge of the bed.
“Hayden…” I prop myself up on my elbows, heart squeezing painfully.
He puts his sweatpants on. Then, he turns, face unreadable, and says, “What do you want for breakfast?”
“A coffee and some avocado toast would be great. I bought?—”
“I know.” With that, he storms out of the room.
Once the door is closed, I bury my face in his pillow and scream. This morning was perfect, yet the day hasn’t even begun and it’s already fallen apart.
My day is torturous.Physically, I’m at the dance studio, but my mind is still in Hayden’s penthouse.
After he put the walls between us this morning, the flicker of hope I had that there could be an us died. Though what did I really expect? He needed a distraction from his breakdown, and instead of giving him moral support, I let him fuck me for hours.
The award for the most idiotic person alive will no doubt go to me.
But as my ten-year-olds leave, happily chatting with one another, warmth spreads through me. They are so full of life and dreams.
I wipe sweat from my brow and head to my desk to check the time.
“Have you packed for California?”
I glance over my shoulder at Nastya. She wanders into the room, dressed in black leggings and a one-shoulder crop top, a bottle of water in her hand.
“Haven’t even started.” I give her a small smile. “I’m going to stop by my apartment tonight to collect more things.”
She lowers herself onto the floor. Back straight, she crosses her legs and peers up at me. “Are you ready to go home?” she asks.
With a sigh, I join her. “Yes…and no.”
“Why not? You’ve been talking my ear off about this trip for weeks. What changed?”
I chew on my cheek, weighing my options. It only takes me a moment to decide to come clean. “I did it again.”
“Did what again?”
“I had sex with Hayden.”
She straightens her legs and starts stretching. I wait, knowing she won’t keep quiet for long.
“And what did you agree on this time? That it was just this once one more time?”
I shrug. “Kind of.”
“Riley…”
