“DO I WANT TO…” Cam prompted.
She had been about to invite him up, but there was no way that was happening now. If Eric were up there, they would be walking into a land mine. “Do you want to walk me to my door?”
“Of course.”
She couldn’t tell if he was disappointed. She didn’t know him well enough to judge his mood in that way. Maybe he still thought she would invite him inside once they got up to the door.
He parked, and she walked around to his side. They walked hand in hand into the building. The elevator ride was charged. She could tell he wanted to say something more but was waiting for her move. Yet she couldn’t make the move. She couldn’t produce the invitation with Eric one step inside her apartment.
Well, she could, of course. She could walk right inside with Cam and pull him into her bedroom with a smirk. The old Bri would have done that in a heartbeat. Less than a heartbeat. But she didn’t want to hurt Eric. She cared about Eric. They were friends…of sorts before she had found out that the basis for that friendship was based on unsubstantiated lies.
So, no flaunting the new guy yet. It was one date. She would give it some time.
“I’d love for you to come in,” she said hesitantly. “But I’m not sure I’m…ready for this yet.”
“Oh,” he said. He seemed surprised. “That’s okay. We can take things slow.”
“I’d like that.” Even though she had never gone slow a day in her life.
“I want to do this again,” he said. “Maybe next week?”
“Ambitious. Asking for another date at the end of the night.”
“I like being around you. You’re beautiful and sweet and make me smile.”
Sweet? Shit! Had anyone ever said that to me before?
“Well, you’re in luck. I like you, too. But…I can’t do next week. It’s an away game.”
He laughed softly. “I’ll always be competing with football. How about this? You name the time, and we’ll go whenever you’re free.”
“That sounds good.”
He placed his hand on her cheek and slowly kissed her. “Good night,” he whispered against her lips.
“Night.”
She waited until he disappeared around the corner and into the elevator before breathing regularly again. She turned around and braced herself for what was about to happen. Her thick skin would be needed for this encounter. She couldn’t be soft and pliable. It was hard enough, adjusting to that with Cam, someone who didn’t know her at all. Eric would eat her alive with that attitude.
She pushed open the door and walked inside with her head held high. Eric was seated on the couch, watching some horrendous Kardashian show with Trihn and Stacia. It was almost comical.
With concerned wide eyes, both girls looked over at her at the same time. Eric’s expression was entirely different. He looked ravenous, and it was so painful that she almost looked away.
“Hey,” he said, standing before anyone else could say anything.
“What are you doing here?” she demanded, closing herself off. “Aren’t football players holed up out of town?”
“I’m not a football player anymore, Bri. Remember?”
“Right. Career-ending injury and all. Still doesn’t explain why you’re in my apartment.”
“Um,” Trihn murmured, “we’ll go to our rooms or something. Come on, Stacia.”
“No need. Eric was just leaving.”
“No, I wasn’t. I’m not leaving. So, let’s go to your room where we can talk,” he said.
Trihn and Stacia shifted uncomfortably. She knew they were wondering what she was thinking, but she couldn’t pull her eyes from Eric. He looked run-down with circles under his eyes and a five o’clock shadow. He still had on his LV State coach’s polo and khakis. His hair was a little rumpled, but it was sexy. Not that she was thinking of him like that at all. She needed to look away.
“You’re so damn stubborn,” she said.
“Me?” He took a step toward her in a fury. He was breathing heavily, and then he stopped himself and took a breath. “Sorry,” he mumbled to Trihn and Stacia. “Let’s go, Bri. We need to talk.”
“I have nothing to say to you.”
“Second door on the left,” Trihn told him pointedly.
Bryna glared at her. “Thanks.”
Trihn shrugged and gave her a mischievous look. Eric walked down the hallway, and against her will, she followed behind him into her room. This wasn’t a good idea. In fact, this was the opposite of a good idea.
He slammed the door shut behind her and then pushed her back against it. She was taken off guard as her body collided with the door. He grabbed her face in his hands, and then his mouth was on her. Possessively. Achingly desperate and demanding. Tension, sweet tension, rippled between them. It was like it had a life of its own. Suddenly, her hands were wrapped up in his shirt, drawing him closer. His hands dug into her hair, crushing them together. His tongue flicked against hers, and she groaned into his mouth.
No. Wait. No. This wasn’t supposed to happen.
She shoved him with all her strength and took a step away from the door. Her heart was ricocheting throughout her chest, and she didn’t know if there was enough oxygen in the room to keep up with the gasping breaths she was taking.
“What are you doing?” she cried breathlessly.
“Kissing you, goddamn it!”
“You can’t just kiss me!”
“I just did. And you wanted me to kiss you. I can’t fucking pretend with you. Why are you pushing me away?”
He took a step closer, and her back pressed into the door once more. Part of her waited for his lips to be on hers again, and she told herself there was no reason to be disappointed when it hadn’t come.
“I was on a date tonight!” she spat.
“Stacia mentioned that.”
Bryna narrowed her eyes. “That couldn’t have anything to do with you being here?”
“Of course it does. What the fuck, Bri? You’re dating now? Who is this guy?”
“Yes, I’m dating! And it’s none of your fucking business who I date.”
“We slept together!”
“And I told you, we couldn’t be together!” she yelled back. “So, it still means you have no opinion on the matter.”
“How can you say that after that kiss? You’re afraid of being hurt. I know you. I know what happened with Jude.”
She cringed at the name.
“I was there for you that day. I saw what you were like. I know this Hugh guy did a number on you, too. I know your family fucked you up. Let me be the one to put it all back together.”
“Don’t you see? You won’t put it back together. Whatever you think this is, is a lie. I was only around you because I thought this could never happen. I don’t want this at all.”
“What do you want then?” he demanded. “Stacia said you’re not digging that douche anymore, and now, you’re dating some film student? This isn’t you.”
“Maybe I don’t want to be me anymore!” she cried. She threw her hands out and shook her head. Why is all of this so hard for him to grasp? “All I do is cause people a lot of problems. I get called a bitch and a slut, and I’ve never cared before, but I’m not a slut. For once, it’s nice to be with a guy who doesn’t treat me like one.”
Eric looked sad at the accusation. “I never did.”
“You fucked me in the locker room!”
“That’s not because you’re a slut, Bryna,” he said softly. He took a step toward her as if he could make her understand. “It’s because I’m crazy about you. When you’re not trying so hard to be someone else, this works.” He gestured between them.
Bryna rubbed her forehead in frustration. “I can’t do this tonight. I don’t want to fight. I came back from a date, and you’re ruining it.” She sighed and looked back up at him. “You should go. I want us to be friends again, but it doesn’t seem like that’s going to happen. So…just go.”