Page 87 of Perfect Composition

His body freezes. “Are you deliberately insinuating something, Paige?”

I shake my head back and forth. “I’m telling you where my head is at. In the course of a few weeks, I went from despising you to being terrified of you to this. My emotions have whiplash.”

But instead of causing him to back away, his body softens against mine. “You know what they say about love and hate.”

“Don’t quote old idioms back at me,” I warn him, cutting him off before he can tell me the old saw about love and hate being two sides of the same coin. Because I know it well as I’ve lived it since the day he left me behind.

“Seriously? You just said ‘idioms’ while naked. Your brain has always been one of the sexiest things about you.” His lips quirk into a smile that I’m sure has melted more hearts than I want to know about.

Frustrated, I slap the mattress. “We have to figure out what this means.”

Beckett simply picks up my hand and kisses it. “I already know what it means.”

“Then tell me, oh wise one,” I shoot back, sarcasm dripping from every word.

“I have a better idea.” Beckett rolls me to my back.

And then he does something so much more personal than touch my body. He touches my soul.

I left you there, all alone

To fight the wind, On your own

Standing tall. Standing proud.

Without me.

The secrets I keep

Swore I’d keep

Take a deep breath, I’ll be back around

At least, that’s what I said.

One month, two

Why am I so blue?

Can’t forget a single thing

I should laugh, and sing, and dance

Maybe I’ll find a new romance

And our promise of love will just drift away

The tears drip from the corners of my eyes as Beckett finishes the rest of the song that’s obviously about the emotional turmoil he had about leaving. But finally, I whisper, “You should have told me.”

“I know that now.”

His simple words desecrate me. “We could have been together.”

His head drops until our noses brush. That touch of gold brushes against my skin, reminding me of too many experiences he’s had without me. “How could you have left me behind? Knowing who and what he was, how could you?” I lash out.

“Forgive me, Paige. All I could think of was…”

“Yourself?” The word escapes my lips unbidden. We both gasp, and Beckett even rears back.