Page 145 of Ten Day Affair

"You were the one thing I didn't plan for. Everything else I could justify. The structure, the vote, the deal. I told myself it was just business. But then I met you. And suddenly, nothing made sense."

His voice cracks on the last part.

Don't turn around. Don't give him this.

But something in his tone makes my chest seize up. I'm raw and unguarded.

"I couldn't undo what I'd already set in motion without losing control of the whole thing. And I tried. I spent so many hours trying to find another way, any way, because of you. Not because you asked me to. Not because you guilted me. For the first time, I gave a damn about something I couldn't leverage."

My shoulders hitch before I can stop them. The tears I've been holding back start burning behind my eyes.

"Liar. You're a liar."

But something about the way he says it makes me believe him. And that makes everything worse.

"I'm not lying, Sam. I have nothing to hide, now."

"I don't believe anything you say, Cole."

"I don't blame you."

We both stand there, my back to him. I can hear his breath he's so close, but he hasn't touched me.

"You were right about one thing. I didn't care. Not until you. But once I did, I couldn't stop."

Say something. Run. Move.

I turn around. His face is pale, his eyes are red-rimmed, like he hasn't slept. The morning light makes him look younger, almost vulnerable.

"Then why did you let me look stupid? You slept in my bed, Cole. You let me fall for you."

The words tumble out, each one cutting deeper than the last. The tears spill over now, hot streaks down my cheeks.

"I fell, too."

Three words. Barely a whisper.

My breath catches.

No. Don't you dare.

He's not defending himself or making excuses. Instead, he's standing there bleeding truth all over the sand between us, allowing himself to be vulnerable.

I shake my head hard, trying to fling off the ache spreading through my chest. This doesn't fix anything. It doesn't undo the votes or the lies or the way he used me.

"I can't do this."

My legs move before my brain catches up. I'm running, sand flying behind me as I sprint toward my deck stairs. The boards thunder under my feet.

I reach for the sliding glass door handle, yanking it hard to the left. Almost there. Almost safe.

"Sam, wait?—"

His voice is right behind me, closer than I expected. I slam the door shut with everything I have without looking, safeguarding myself from my own weakness.

The sickening crack of bone against metal makes me freeze.

"Fuuuuccck!"