Page 48 of Worth Loving You

A muscle in his jaw twitched, his brows furrowing behind his sunglasses. “You want to be a bitch? Fine. Fuck you,” he hissed and cut the truck off. Then he opened and slammed his door to end all electrical currents in the vehicle.

I crossed my arms and pouted. “I like that song. It’s like one of my favorites.”

He clucked his teeth and scoffed, bopping his head side to side. His tone mocking, he said, “Like really? Your all time fave, like oh muh gawd.”

Tipping my head, I peered at him, irritation gnawing my gut. “You’re not a very pleasant man, you know that?”

He huffed, setting his elbow on the window to rub his temple. “Like I give a rat’s ass what you think of me. Shut up and leave me alone.”

I unbuckled and turned sideways in my seat, bending somewhat over the console. Squinting, I studied his features scrunched with animosity. His dark locks fell over his brooding brow, darkening his bright, blue eyes. Thin, taut lips under his long, wide nose, a muscle twitched in his squared jaw, his chest heaving with shallow breaths.

“You really hate me.”

“No shit.”

My head tilting to the other side, I twisted my lips and chewed the inside of my cheek. “Why?”

“Because you’re fucking annoying. You and your bumpkin friend. Where the hell is she, anyway? I am so sick of sitting here waiting on her. I got shit to do, too, you know.”

The corner of my mouth lifted. “Like that chick I saw sneaking out of the penthouse this morning?”

His nostrils flared a bit, his Adam’s apple moving.

“She your girlfriend?”

He snorted, his finger moving to tap the top of the steering wheel. “Mind your fucking business.”

“My home. All I have to do is tell Milo I’m uncomfortable with strangers coming in and out, and your dating life is over.”

His chin tucked toward his chest to sneer in my direction. “I can’t fathom, for the life of me, why I can’t stand you.”

Heaving a sigh, I sat properly in my seat, propping an ankle on my knee, my foot bouncing. “Whatever, Wyatt. The second you laid eyes on me, you hated me. Just admit it’s because you’re shallow—”

“Shallow?” he snorted, shrugging the arm closest me. “How the hell am I shallow?”

“Do you really not recall what you said to me in the elevator that first day?”

His lips drawing tight, he stared out the windshield, his thumb tapping faster.

“And that blonde this morning. Other than her little incision scars when she got those fake boobs, I bet there isn’t a blemish on her body.”

“What, and I’m supposed to apologize for wanting a gorgeous broad?”

“No, but don’t get offended when you’re called out for being shallow because that’s the only reason you want her.”

“So, if I wanted you, with all your rolls and stretchmarks, I’d be a better man.”

An invisible fist slammed into my gut, a knot lodging in my throat. “Wow.”

He cursed and bowed his chin, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Clearing my throat and forcing my emotions down, I folded my arms over my stomach and looked out the window, not wanting him to see the tears brimming. No matter how old I got, how many years I heard this shit, sometimes, when I wasn’t expecting a dig, they got to me and…well, they fucking hurt.

“You know.” I paused when my voice cracked and coughed, trying to compose myself. Picking at the frayed knees of my jeans, I said, “I may not be able to strut around in a bikini like the blonde bimbo this morning, but I still have worth.”

He sighed, and I heard him move around.

My chin quivering, I watched the people walking up and down the sidewalk, wishing I could be one of them right now. Anyone but who I was. Anywhere but here, with Wyatt Shaw.