Page 89 of Wrong For Me

My stomach drops, a bad feeling settling over me. “Sorry for what?”

He moves away, putting space between us. His voice sounds entirely different than it did a moment ago, even and controlled. “I think we’ve both had too much to drink tonight.”

I blink at him. “What?”

“We really shouldn’t be doing this. Especially not when we’ve been drinking.”

“But…” I have no idea how to respond. I feel like I have whiplash, like the car I was traveling in at top speed just abruptly changed course. “Leo.”

I already know there’s no sense in arguing with him or asking for explanations. The expression on his face is too familiar. Cold and distant, the exact same way he’s looked at me the entire year.

Anger rises up in me so quickly it makes my breath catch. The urge to lash out at this man is so strong I actually eye the inch of wine still sitting in my glass, wondering how his stupid sexy suit would look splashed in Merlot.

He’s not worth it, a voice in my head whispers. Even as the words bring me comfort, they also twist my heart, just a little. Because there’s a part of me that desperately wishes Leo Malone was worth it.

I face him head on, trying to instill as much dignity into my posture as possible. Maybe if I look like a strong, take-no-shit girl, I won’t feel the cracks his rejection just put into my heart.

“I’m not sure what your problem is, Leo,” I say, pleased with how smooth my voice is, almost as cold as his. “You seem to have some issue with me, and that’s fine. We don’t have to spend time together. We don’t have to be friends.”

The closed off expression on his face falters. “Rose—”

I hold up a hand. I’ve heard more than enough from him. “But I’m not doingthisanymore. I’m not going to sit here while you go back and forth between wanting me and hating the sight of me.”

There’s nothing closed off in his expression now. He looks horrified.

“I don’t hate the sight of you, Rose. That’sneverbeen true.”

I raise my eyebrows. “Yeah? Well that’s sure how it looks from this angle. And I’m tired of you making me feel like shit because you can’t make up your mind.”

He reaches for me, remorse and something like panic written all over his face. But I don’t let him. I’m hanging onto my control with the tips of my fingers, and I’m pretty sure I won’t survive his touch.

Instead I stand. “I’m going to bed. I would appreciate it if you would give me a few minutes to get settled before you come up.”

“Rose, wait.”

I don’t wait. Just being this close to him hurts and I don’t want to hurt over him anymore. So instead I turn to leave—and walk right into Kevin.

“Hey,” he says easily, hands coming down to cup my elbows. “We were just coming to look for you.”

It takes me a second to realize he’s not alone. Standing behind him are Gina, Jeremy, and Wendy, three of the friends I’ve made during this conference. I think of Leo’s teasing tone—Rose’s fan club—and have to dig my fingers into my palms to keep from losing it.

But apparently, I do a good job covering it, because no one seems to notice. “You up for the hot tub, girl?” Gina asks. “Kevin ordered a whole bunch of hot chocolate from the coffee bar. We’re gonna spike it with whiskey.”

My first reaction is to say no. No way in hell. I can’t pretend to be social with these people I don’t really know that well. What I want is to get on the phone with Will and Everly and Alex and cry my eyes out. But that would require going up to the room. Where Leo will be.

Plus, Kevin is smiling down at me. A kind, uncomplicated smile. A smile I have no suspicion will suddenly turn cold on me. Wouldn’t it be nice to spend a few hours with someone smiling at me like that?

“The hot tub sounds great,” I hear myself say.

“Rose,” Leo says from behind me, but I don’t turn and I don’t wait around to hear whether or not they’re going to invite him as well. Instead I tell Gina I’ll meet her in ten and hurry out of the bar, praying I can get ready and out of our room without having to see Leo Malone again.