Moment of Impact by Lisa Mondello

Author:Lisa Mondello [Mondello, Lisa]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: new adult, college romance, new adult and college, coming of age, contempory romance, beach reads
Amazon: B00XGXL2EG
Publisher: Lisa Mondello
Published: 2015-08-05T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Six

Lily

Embarrassment rises up my throat like bile. I swallow hard to keep my voice steady and not show him how confused I am.

“Okay. I get it. You don’t want me. Would you like it better if I went a little further across the room?”

“It’s not a matter of want. I don’t want to touch you,” he says. I squash down the pain that is suddenly filling the emptiness in my belly and lean against the counter.

I shake my head slowly. “You could have fooled me.”

His chest rises and falls as he takes in a deep breath and lets it out slowly once again. His dark eyes never leave mine. His long brown hair is pushed forward, leaving a strand of hair hanging over one eye, making it hard to see how beautiful they are. But it’s in my memory. I’d looked at them all afternoon when we were out in the sun and his dark hair was slicked back from the ocean water.

I suddenly feel if I’m going to get through this humiliation, I’m not going to let him win this. He’s used to controlling. I never have any and this breaking me down isn’t getting us where I want to be.

There’s something there. Gus doesn’t show himself that often. He’s like a magician using tricks and mirrors. But I see it.

“You’re right,” he says quietly. “I do want to touch you. I just can’t.” No one is around. No one would hear. But this is for me. I know it is.

“Don’t you think that should be my decision?”

“No. It’s not happening.”

I feel like stomping my foot because he can be so infuriating. But I didn’t become the dancer I’d become without my own measure of stubbornness.

“You always do this.”

“What?”

“Push me away.”

I focus on the rise and fall of his chest as he stands a few feet away from me and stares. His gaze never leaves my face. Then he shakes his head just enough for me to see the movement. “I don’t want to ruin you.”

“You couldn’t do that.”

“You have no idea.” He lifts his chin and is about to say something. I can’t believe I know him already. He’s leaving me again. He’s physically in the kitchen with me. I can see him, breathe him in. I want him so much that it hurts. Yet, he’s hiding in that place he goes where he pretends he doesn’t give a fuck. I do. I’m not letting him go there. I won’t. Even if I have to reach in and grab him to keep him from disappearing again.

“Don’t do that,” I say as he opens his mouth to speak.

“What?” His eyes are amazing as he looks at me. As if he sees me. Sees through me. No one has ever done that before. I’ve been a puppet for so long that I’d forgotten just how much of me was really me. But I know he’s looking at the real me, not the girl whose parents parade her around for their fancy friends.

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