Page 110 of Sour Notes

Oh, come on.

Can’t a guy catch a fucking break?

25

MIA

“Mia, what’s going on?”

Isn’t that the million dollar question?

What isn’t going on with me today? But it’s nothing I want to unpack right now.

Not with him. Not with anyone, actually. In fact, if I could just avoid it forever… yeah, that would be preferable.

“Nothing, Swayze, just leave it. I need to take a nap for a couple of hours.”

“Mia, if I’ve done something to upset you or make you uncomfortable, I need to know. You couldn’t have been stiffer out there this morning.”

“Ha, neither could you from what I could tell.” Forcing a smile, I wink at him. But I’m fooling no one.

His brows furrow and he rams his hands in his pockets, sighing in exasperation. “Don’t deflect this with humor, please, Mia. Talk to me. Don’t make this another Halloween thing.”

Crossing my arms, I glare at him, struggling to ignore the rushing sound intensifying in my ears. My body overheats, every nerve on edge. The problem is, I don’t know who I’m pissed at.

Him or me.

Okay, that’s a lie. It’s solidly me. But if I have to talk about it, then I have to admit it out loud, and I’m not ready to do that.

I look away from his intense gaze, taking another deep breath to center myself.

“There’s nothing to talk about, Wolff. It’s nothing like Halloween. Last night, I knew it was you fucking me. I freakin’ goaded you into it. But it was a mistake, Swayze. One we can’t afford to repeat. It was irresponsible and stupid. We need to remember what this is and not blur the lines.”

He stills, going deathly silent.

I risk glancing over and our gazes collide, his icy eyes haunted by things he isn’t saying.

Holding my breath, I wait for him to bite back. To say something—anything—I can twist into an argument.

Instead, he nods, just once, the muscle in his jaw ticking erratically. “Okay.” His voice is low, measured. “If that’s what you want.”

My hands fall to my sides as he slowly walks toward me, our eyes still locked. My heart stops beating altogether when he stops directly in front of me with barely an inch between us.

“But for the record, Mia...” He pauses, his hand ghosting the curve of my face. It takes everything in me not to close my eyes and lean into it. “You didn’t goad me into anything I didn’t already want. You just gave me permission.”

My breath hitches, his words making my heart trip over itself. His eyes drop to my mouth, lingering there with such intensity I forget how to breathe. My pulse riots, thundering in my ears while I track his heated gaze, convinced he’s going to kiss me.

He doesn’t.

Instead, he tugs a leaf from my hair and hands it to me, our fingers sparking as they brush. Without saying another word, he turns on his heel and walks back out the door.

The breath I’ve been holding rushes out of me and I slump back against the wall hugging myself.

Tears burn my eyes and I’m so sick of holding them in.

I’m so sick of holding everything in.

Why can’t I be normal?