“Jess.”
She spun around, her eyes flashing. “Don’t.”
Too late.
“I’m not finished.” My voice was rougher than I intended. “You don’t get to say all of that and just walk away like it was nothing.”
“You thinkI’mthe one who’s walking away?”
I tilted my head and raised a brow. “Sure as hell looks that way.”
She opened her mouth, but closed it again, choosing instead to shake her head.
I stepped closer before I could stop myself. The air was thick between us with everything we’d left unsaid since the morning she walked away from the cabin. And me.
“I know you think I’m being hardheaded.”
“Youarebeing hardheaded.” She dropped her arms to her sides. “You aren’t even trying to see this from my point of view.”
“That’s not true.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Isn’t it?” When I didn’t answer her right away, she added, “This isn’t personal, Preston.”
I blew out a breath and dropped my gaze to my feet long enough to collect my thoughts. “It’s pretty hard not to take all of this personally, Jess. After everything we…well…you sat across from me, looked me in the eye, and decided none of it mattered.”
“That’s not fair.”
“Neither is any of this.” I waved my hand between us. “And don’t stand there and pretend you don’t know why this feels personal. You know.”
She stared at me, raw emotion flickering over her face. “Say it then,” she challenged. “If you’re so brave,youtellme,Preston. Because I can’t help but?—”
“The cabin.” I didn’t hesitate. I was tired of dancing around it. And dammit, I was pretty sure she was, too. “The way you opened up to me, like I was someone you trusted.”
“I did trust you.” Her voice softened. “Idotrust you.”
“I just don’t understand how you can stand there and pretend like that night didn’t happen. Likewedidn’t happen.”
“You really think I could forget?”
My gaze dropped to her mouth, the memory of the way her lips felt on mine crashing through me.
“Then why does it feel like you’re choosing everything else instead of me?” The second the words were out of my mouth, I knew I’d crossed a line.
“I told you,” she said, her voice heavy with sadness and frustration. “This isn’t about you.” She shook her head and turned, opening her car door.
“Then what is it about?” I reached around her and pushed the door shut. “Because I think both you and I know it’s not about zoning maps, trail access, or affordable housing. Not anymore.”
Silence stretched between us, heavy and charged, before she turned slowly and leaned up against her car, my arm caging her in.
“We said one night, Preston. We agreed.”
“I don’t care,” I said. “I thought I could be okay with that, Jess. I thought I was strong enough to spend one amazing night in your arms and still be able to pretend that you don’t mean anything to me. That you never did. But you do, dammit. You always have. And that changes things.”
“It does.” Her voice was barely a whisper. “Because I didn’t plan on feeling anything either.”
“You feel things?”
She laughed a little and shook her head as if I were the most clueless man in the world.
