“That’s what I’m trying to tell you, Garrett. That I know that! That I was wrong! I feel like shit for thinking that. Even for one second!” I cried out as Garrett turned away from me as though to go back inside.
Garrett’s shoulders slouched and his hair hung limply to his shoulders. He looked like a man defeated. “But I am a loser, Riley. I’ve wasted what my parents gave me. I never thought my life was lacking until you made me question all of it. You shouldn’t waste your time on me. Damien is much better for you than I could ever be.”
I shocked us both by smacking him. Yep, I smacked him across his pretty little face. His head flew to the side and my palm started stinging before I realized what I had done. Slowly, Garrett turned back to me, his brow furrowed, his eyes hooded. He brought his hand up to cup his cheek.
“What. In. The. Fucking. Hell?” he asked in a deadly quiet.
I cradled my stinging hand against my chest as I breathed heavily from the adrenaline rush. “Don’t you ever say that about yourself again. You are not a loser. If you say anything like that again, I’ll punch you,” I swore emphatically.
Garrett took a step toward me, his eyes heated and furious. “Who the hell do you think you are? You spend the past year making me feel like something on the bottom of your shoe. Now you physically assault me when I’m in agreement? You’re nuts, Riley. Certifiably insane,” he spit out.
I moved forward, until our chests were almost touching. I looked up into his face; his right cheek splotched an angry red. I reached up and ran my fingers along the length of the mark. “You are not a loser, Garrett. You’re everything…everything that I want. I’m sorry that I ever made you question what I felt for you or what you should feel about yourself. I never want to make you feel that way again,” I promised, meaning every single world.
Garrett flinched against my hand, as though afraid for me to touch him. “I wish I could believe you. But I’ve heard this before. I’m not a guy that likes to put myself out there over and over again just to be stomped on. Riley, I can admit that you didn’t just hurt me. You shredded me. My heart that could only bend has definitely been broken. I thought to myself, here is this girl who can get me. Who, even though I’m nowhere good enough for her, might take a chance on a guy like me. And that maybe finally, I could have a future that means something. I can’t do this if you’re going to break me, Ri,” his voice dropped into a whisper and I was having a hard time breathing around the gigantic lump that had firmly lodged itself into my throat.
“I didn’t want to talk to you thinking I could persuade you to forgive me. To get you to take a chance on me after the way I’ve been. I just wanted you to hear, from me, that I’m sorry. You have an amazing heart and one day, you’ll give it away to a girl who deserves it,” I choked on my words and dropped my hand from his face.
Turning away, I planned to make my grand exit. You know, try to keep some shred of dignity.
“I’ve already given it away to the most beautiful girl I could ever meet. I just hope like hell she doesn’t give it back,” he said, his hand pressing into my back, just between my shoulder blades. I could feel the warmth of his skin through my shirt and I closed my eyes as the sensation became overwhelming.
I forgot about our crappy timing. I forgot about the thousands of ways I had sabotaged this moment. I forgot about Gracie, who was barely talking to me.
All I could think…all I could feel…was this. His hand on me in such an innocent yet extremely intimate way. His words rang in my ears and I knew I couldn’t fight them.
Not anymore.
Turning to face him, our eyes met and in one seamless movement, we fell together. His arms going around my waist, my hands tangling in his hair. And his mouth pressed against mine like a song. Look here folks, Riley Walker the freaking poet.