I cry until I’m spent, emotionally and physically drained. Reis just sits quietly beside me, rubbing my back and smoothing my hair, and shushing away the harder sobs that rack my chest. Eventually when I quiet into just hiccups, he lies down beside me, cradling my body with his. A few minutes later, Reis gets up from the bed, untangling his limbs from mine.

I whimper from the sudden absence of warmth and reach out for him.

He chuckles. “I’m not going anywhere, Shrimp, just turning off the light.” He flips off the light and comes back to the bed, pulling me tightly to his chest once again. I sigh and relax into him, thankful for his presence and long past feeling guilty about that kiss.

After I’ve quieted my tears and breathing has returned to normal, I roll over, turning toward Reis. He looks down at me and brushes my hair back from my face and smiles.

“How stupid am I?”

“Shh,” Reis whispers, playing with a lock of my hair.

“I gave my heart to someone who can’t be trusted. He hasn’t changed one bit. And to think, I almost slept with him before he left.” I shake my head. And I would have, except it’d been Bria even then coming between us. It’s just like MJ said it would end.

“You mean you never slept with him?”

“That’s what you took away from that?”

He chuckles. “Sorry.”

“One track mind, much?”

“Well it’s Colt, so I figured you had. And even though it would have been weird being with you after that, I was willing to overlook it.”

I sit up in bed. “Reis, I’m not going to be ready to be with anyone for a while. I just need to be by myself.”

He nods. “I’ll wait for you until you’re ready. I’m nothing like him, you know?”

“I know that.”

“So maybe there’s hope for us.”

“I don’t think so.” Reis is a nice guy. Why couldn’t I have fallen for someone like him? But I wasn’t ready to even consider another relationship. I should be banned from interacting with the male species. “I’m not ready for anything, with anyone.”

“Let me worry about that then. You just focus on being happy again. And I’ll be here to cheer you up. How’s that sound?”

“Nice,” I admit.

“Good. Come here.” He holds out his arm and I snuggle in against his side, letting my whole body relax.

Colt

Taylor was quiet when I told her Bria and I would be in London for another two weeks. I’d apologized profusely, but she hadn’t said much. After we got disconnected, I tried to call her back and instead of answering she’d sent me a text. She was tired of not being able to trust me, she said. It was over. She was officially done with me.

I fall back against the pillow. My sleeping schedule is completely messed up and my head is spinning. It’s been too long since I’ve seen her. Too long since I’ve held her, and she’s forgotten how good we are together. That’s all. I know I can get her back. Two more weeks and I’ll get my chance.

Then I remember that tonight was Reis’ dance. She hadn’t said anything about it, but damn, she hadn’t said much of anything. Did the dance have anything to do with her change of heart? Maybe that’s what she realized she needs. A typical high school experience, a boyfriend who’s actually around, not working in another country for weeks at a time. It’s her senior year. I couldn’t expect her to wait for me, I just figured our relationship was important enough for her to want to. I guess not.

I consider calling her again, we need to talk this out. But it’s late, and she probably needs time to cool off and realize this isn’t what she really wants. I switch off the lamp and punch my pillow into shape. Just as I’m falling asleep, my door squeaks open and I see Bria’s silhouette against the darkness.

“Are you awake?” she whispers.

I swallow down a lump in my throat. What the fuck is she doing in here? “Yeah.”

She tiptoes into the room. “I can’t sleep.” She comes in and shuts the door, shutting out the light that spilled in from the hallway and sits down on the edge of my bed. I push up on my elbows to look at her.

“Did something happen?”

“It’s just Liam. I shouldn’t have slept with him.”

Fuck. I didn’t know she’d actually slept with him. They’ve been out twice. Fear twists in my stomach, worrying what this might mean for the case. “Bria, I told you not to get involved. We need this deal with his uncle.”

“Relax. This has nothing to do with your precious deal. Geoffrey loves us. Liam on the other hand, now that he got what he wanted, is all back to all business.”

I breathe a sigh of relief and fall back against my pillow.

Bria crawls up the bed and leans against the pillows beside me. “Why can’t I find a guy who loves me for me?” Her eyes implore mine. I have no idea how to answer her question. I thought I found love with Taylor, but now I think I’ve already lost it.

“What is it about Taylor? I mean, why her?”

I’d never really thought about it, but I knew the answer without even thinking. She was open and outspoken. She wasn’t overly concerned with her appearance or impressing me like other girls. She made me earn it. Earn her and be worthy of being with her. “She challenged me.”

Bria scoots closer and I let out a frustrated sigh, but I don’t stop her. She’s testing the boundaries, waiting to see what I’ll do, if I’ll push her away. Now that I know how it feels to be rejected, I don’t have it in me right now.

“Can I stay in here?”

Without waiting for my response, she crawls toward me. “Bria…” I don’t want to argue with her right now. But she shouldn’t be in here.

“I’ll stay on my side, just please. Please let me stay.”

“You’ll behave?”

“I promise,” she whispers.

“Fine.”

“Night Colt.”

“Goodnight.” My mind reels. Sleep will be impossible tonight.

Bria rolls over to face me, a smile on her lips. “Despite constantly acting like a jerk, you’re not so bad.”

“Thanks.” Little does she know, Taylor is done with me, thinks I was a terrible boyfriend. I probably am.

She inches even closer until she’s lying against my side. Her bare arm and leg press against mine in her barely there pajamas. I move my arm out of the way and she snuggles in against my chest. Her perfume is a little overwhelming, not like Taylor’s subtle but sweet scent, but her body is soft and curvy where I’m hard. It’s nice. This is who Taylor thinks I am. So why should I fight it?

Last night shouldn’t have happened. Bria’s gone from my bed when I wake, thank God. I never should’ve let her stay. I should have called Taylor back and made her listen to me. I can already feel a headache forming. I stagger out of bed. First on the agenda is a shower. I soap up then let the rough spray of water beat down on me for several long minutes. I throw on jeans and a T-shirt and head into the living room. Bria’s gone, but she’s ordered coffee that’s been left for me in a warming carafe on the table. I pour myself a cup and sit down in front of my laptop. There’s an email from Geoffrey, one about a new possible case, another from Bria thanking me for last night, and nothing from Taylor.

The hot coffee works to ease some of the tension in my shoulders, enough to ward off the impending headache, but not enough to keep me from thinking about Taylor. She was the one girl I wanted to change for. Wanted to protect, and make happy. And now I’ve fucked things up.

I remember back to last night, and Bria climbing in my bed. Since I’d lost Taylor, part of me wondered if I should distract myself with the release that Bria’s body would bring me. I push the thought away. I pour myself another cup of coffee and settle into work.

Taylor

I tell myself that I won’t hack into Colt’s emails anymore, that I’m done worrying over him. But that lasted about three hours. By lunch, I’ve hacked into his account and read all his emails. There was only one from Bria, thanking him for last night and accusing him of being a cover hog. My stomach turns and I think I may actually be sick. But deep breathing and squeezing my eyes closed help to keep my lunch where it belongs. After the, I promise myself again that I won’t look at his emails again, unable to stomach what I might find.