Scorched by Desiree Holt, Allie Standifer Read Free Book Online

together is amazing. Why ruin it with shop talk?”
    Those were the words that helped shore up her mental defenses. How could such a seemingly intelligent man sound so stupid ? Why didn’t he just leave a fifty on her nightstand in the morning ? At least that would be more honest that the crap he kept slinging at her.
    “Skyler, it’s getting late and I think you should go.”
    “Fuck, no.” He jumped out of the bed and closed the small space between them. “I’m not leaving until you tell me what brought this on. When I fell asleep you were happy with me and the world. I wake up a few minutes later and you’re jumping down my throat, dumping questions all over meand demanding answers.”
    “Is it so terrible to want to know more about you? About your life?” She had to blink several times to battle the tears threatening to overflow her eyes. The damn jerk wouldn’t see her cry, but he would hear a few honest truths. “I woke up before you. I thought you looked so handsome I couldn’t resist touching you. That’s when I felt the scar on your shoulder and remembered it from last night. Silly me , I was concerned. So I asked . Then you growled at me, told me to mind my own business and now I’m asking you to leave.”
    “Shit,” he cursed , pulling on his messy hair. “Kasey, I just — ” He stopped there as she waited, prayed for him to say something, to show an ounce of trust in her and their new relationship.
    Instead he walked over and pulled on his clothes. With each piece of skin he covered Kasey felt daggers sinking into her heart.
    “Istill think this is a bad idea,” Sky informed her once he’d finished dressing. “I don’t want to lose what we have.”
    Wary of being pulled into his arms, Kasey backed away. “I don’t either, but I can’t be with a man without knowing him. You shut me out every time I try to get closer. Forgive me if I’m feeling a little bruised by you slamming the door to your lifein my face.”
    “Fuck Kasey, it’s not like that. I don’t want to lose you. All I fucking wanted was the time for you to get to know me without all the usual bullshit. Why is that so much to ask?”
    “It’s not too much, but you’re offering too little. Now it’s really getting very late and I have to get up for work tomorrow. Work that you know about. You know what I do, where I do it and when I do it. I know you have two brothers and live in a house. Hmm.” She tapped a finger to her chin in a mock thinking pose. “ W ell, golly gee , Skyler it seems you know so much more about me. I wonder if that’s fair?”
    “I planned to tell you everything.” He paced away from her, his long strides quickly eating up the small distance from wall to wall.
    “When?” she demanded. Crossing her arms underneath her breasts so he wouldn’t see her hands shaking.
    “When I had more time. When we’d had more time together.”
    Kasey shook her head sadly, tears brimming her eyesand knowing he couldn’t give herwhat she needed. A piece of him, a piece of who he was and where he wanted to go. For the smallest crumb she would have opened her arms and her heart and welcomed him back into it.
    Maybe it was better they ended things now. If it hurt this bad after a few days then she might not live through it in a few months.
    “Please,” she whispered trying to keep her voice even, “just leave and go home, Skyler. I can’t deal with you tonight.”
    “I don’t want to leave things like this between us,” he protested and stopped his incessant pacing.
    “Skyler , if you ever felt anything at all for me you’ll walk out of this room and houseand leave me in peace.”
    He didn’t respond and the silence grew thick and uncomfortable between them. When Kasey was ready toscream to break the tension , Skyler huffed out a breath and slammed out of the room.
    As the front door closed behind him she slid down the wall, tears already pouring down her cheeks.Life really should be like a romance