“Maybe I should go back to my place?” I asked as his hand froze from stroking my jaw.
“I want you here,” he returned forcefully.
“Sal,” I groaned with impatience as his eyes narrowed. “We just got back together like two seconds ago. I don’t want to fuck it up by doing exactly what we did last time,” I explained.
“Which was?” he asked with a raised brow.
“Which was doing everything backward,” I tried to explain. “We jumped right into bed and spent nearly every night after that together. We were spectacular physically, but we never worked much at the other parts. Not the way I wanted to anyway. And with everything that happened when you left, I always worried that you got cornered into watching out for me. Now, we’re right back there again, and I don’t want to worry that you’re obligated to me.”
I didn’t get further before he wrenched free of my grasp and hauled himself out of bed, aggressively shoving up his jeans.
“What just happened?” I asked in utter confusion.
“Fuck, Kat,” he stormed, pulling his shirt roughly over his head. “Is this how it’s gonna be? Reliving all the ways I fucked up before?” he demanded. “’Cause if that’s the case, why don’t we just call it a day?” he growled.
I reeled back from his words, especially given how we’d just spent the last several hours. “Call it a day?” I whispered incredulously. Anger burned in my cheeks as I regarded him in shock. “Jesus, Sal, how can you even say something like that to me? We’ve been naked in this bed together for three fucking hours!” I exclaimed angrily. “And that’s my whole fucking point!” I cried, pulling my hands through my hair in aggravation. “We never worked at it before, because we never let ourselves get to a vulnerable enough place for there to be anything to work on. And that’s on me, too. I’m not blaming you. I’m saying that there’s something here that’s precious enough to be careful with.”
I took a moment and blew out a controlled breath, trying hard to get a rein on my temper. “Look, I don’t want months to go by and all of a sudden we’re back exactly where we started. That didn’t work. And I want this to work, really fucking badly,” I admitted, and in doing so I felt like I’d extended a huge, vulnerable olive branch to him.
Please take it, Sal, please, I chanted in my head.
He grabbed his keys and I felt bitterly disappointed. He was actually going to leave. “Sal,” I started, my tone a hoarse warning, “please think about what you’re doing by walking out the door right now.”
“I just need to cool off,” he said curtly over his shoulder as he opened the door.
“Well, you take all the time you need,” I returned coldly. Fuck if I was going to wait around for him to sort out his goddamn head.
He didn’t even turn back to look at me. Instead, he grabbed his jacket and walked out, closing the door behind him.
I stared at the door in shock for a long time. I couldn’t believe what had just happened. But I knew one thing was for sure: I was done having Salvatore fucking Armstrong turn me inside out. At least that’s what I told myself. My whole love ‘em and leave ‘em mentality I’d lived by before I’d met Sal was sounding pretty good right about now. Too bad I couldn’t even look at other men. God, I was so screwed. Rather than sulk, I got up, showered, and went to work without one single tear hitting my cheek.
Chapter 12
Jodie popped in to say hi later that night. She wasn’t on shift, but she lived in the neighborhood.
“You look like you need to throw a couple back and have some girl talk,” she surmised correctly with a raised brow.
“Is it that obvious?” I grumbled.
“Why don’t you come to my place? A couple of my friends are going to come by and hang out. You’ll like them.”
I had always liked most of Jodie’s friends, except perhaps her roommate Ryan, who had a bit of creep factor happening.
I glanced over at Hank who looked bored as hell sitting at the bar on guard duty. I knew he wouldn’t let me go, and even if he did, it would be awkward to drag him along. But, I wanted to go. I was in the mood to let my repressed wild child out for a few hours and forget about Sal and our fight.
I nodded to her. “I just need to ditch my guard for a bit. He’ll kill me, but whatever.” I shrugged, inwardly wincing at how pissed Hank would be. Not to mention, Sal. Part of me was feeling stifled by my constant watchdogs. Plus, I knew Hank would just force me back to Sal’s place. It enraged me that I didn’t have an option even though he’d walked out on me this afternoon.
Pete was closing with me, and when I had everything wrapped up, I met him in the office.
“Hey, Pete, I’m gonna get outta here. Will you tell Hank I went to hang with Jodie for a bit?” I asked, trying not to look guilty.
He looked at me with a cocked brow. “Why do I have a feeling you’re making a jail break?”
I twisted my fingers together. “It may or not be sanctioned by a certain leather wearing giant,” I allowed, my head cocked toward Hank. “But I need this. I promise to be safe.”
He sighed and nodded once briefly.
“Thanks, you’re the best!” I exclaimed, kissing his cheek quickly and rushing out the back door.
