“And friendship, Ryder.”
“Yeah, you wanted my friendship, which I have more than given.”
“Just not from you,” she chuckled lightly.
“What?” I asked in confusion.
“You have been there for me. I’m not denying that. But you haven’t once actually given me a piece of yourself.”
“Because that wasn’t part of the deal,” I hissed.
“You know, I didn’t ask for you to have a relationship with me. I didn’t ask you to spend every night in my bed. You did that all on your own. And I’m a big girl. If you need a break, I can give it to you. But what I can’t take is being the only person around here being honest.”
“That’s not what this is about.”
“Really? You didn’t rush off to your house because you needed space?”
“No!” I shouted. “I just wanted some fucking sleep!”
“Then just say that!” she argued. “Why is it so fucking hard for you to inform me of little things in your life?”
“Because you’re not my fucking girlfriend!” I shouted. “This is sex. You don’t get to know every part of my life. You don’t get to demand I answer my phone anytime you call. That’s not what any of this is!”
The slightest nod made her chin dip, and then she walked toward the door. “Then leave.”
“Because of a fucking phone call?”
“Because I said I wanted a friend. I thought that’s what we were, but based on how upset you are about something as simpleas me being worried about you, I can see this won’t work any longer.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me!” I laughed. “You’re breaking this off becauseyouoverreacted!”
“No,” she said calmly. “I’m breaking this off because you can’t handle someone else being worried about you. I’m ending this because you can’t be honest with yourself about what’s really going on here.”
“Yeah?” I huffed. “Why don’t you tell me what’s really going on?”
Her head cocked at me, a knowing smile touching her lips.
And at that moment, I knew what she was about to say. I knew she was about to cross a line I would never return from.
“You’ve made a friend, Ryder. A genuine person who cares about you. Someone who loves you?—”
“Stop it,” I snapped.
“Someone who loves you for who you are, and you can’t handle that. I don’t know why, and it’s none of my business anymore.”
Spinning away from her, I swallowed down the anger threatening to spill over.
“You don’t want what I can offer you. You think you’re better off on your own. Whatever Bianca did really screwed you up.”
“You don’t know a damn thing!” I shouted, spinning around, getting in her face.
“I know,” she answered calmly. She stepped back, then walked around me to the door, opening it once again. “Goodbye, Ryder.”
My mouth gaped as I tried to think of a comeback, of any way to get the last word in. Why? Hell if I knew. But as I stood there and stared at Ellie’s beautiful face, I realized that I didn’t want to get the last word in.
I just wanted her.
And that scared me more than anything ever had before in my life.
