grunt was his only response. He walked out into the bright sunlight. When the door slammed behind him, he let out a carnal roar so loud the birds flew off the roof scattering in different directions.
He drove in no direction for hours. The more he thought about it, the more he realized he couldn’t just give up. It finally dawned on him. No girl had ever come close to making him feel what he was feeling. His entire life was on hold now because of Valerie. There was no moving on. He needed to do something about it.
When he finally made it home that night, he reread the message that still sat on his coffee table. What the hell was his problem anyway? Why couldn’t he just leave a damn message like a normal person? He ripped the page out of the notebook and did some more tweaking.
He picked up his phone and dialed before he could change his mind. His heart raced at the chance that she might actually answer. She didn’t. He cleared his throat during her voicemail greeting and took a deep breath. It beeped and he stared at the paper in his hand. “Valerie… I’m sorry. I’ve been an ass all this time… ” He sounded like a robot to his own ears so he crumpled the paper and sat down running his hand through his hair. “Look Valerie, I didn’t even realize how much I missed you, until I saw you again... I am so sorry about everything. I know I screwed up bad. And I know you have lots of questions, but I have answers. I promise. If you’d just give me the chance, I can explain it all. All I do… ” He paused and took a deep breath. “All I do is think about you, baby… today was torture. You have no idea what you do to me. Val,” His voice dropped almost to a whisper. “Please tell me you haven’t given up on us. I’m going crazy here. Call me.”
He clicked the phone and hung up surprised at himself. He hadn’t even realized he felt all that until the words just came out. He threw the phone down on the sofa and sat back. Frustration now clouded all the other emotions he’d felt for weeks.
*
Despite the fact that days passed since Valerie saw Alex again, she still felt the effects of being so close to him again. Luke was her only hope now. But every time she saw Alex again that hope slowly lost ground.
In some ways, she was very surprised that the whole relationship thing with Luke was still working out. Luke promised he’d be discreet at the office, and so far he’d kept his promise. That really helped, because she had to admit she had been worried about things changing. They would go out on the weekend but she always claimed to be too tired during the week, her way of keeping things from getting too heavy. The night at the sports bar had been the first weeknight she spent with him. Even that had been on the insistence of Isabel.
She tried not to spend too much time at the office with him and that was easy. Her clients kept her busy outside showing properties and doing open houses. Like today, she showed so many properties she didn’t even bother going back at the end of the day. She called Luke and told him she was done. All she could think of was getting home to take a shower and relax. Luke made a comment about her showering at his place, but she politely passed on the offer.
Valerie reiterated to Luke that she wanted to take things reall y slowly. After a few more heated evenings with him, she could tell Luke was getting anxious to do more. She just wasn’t ready for it. She wondered if she ever would be. How was it so damn easy for Alex to be with someone else? It hurt that he actually enjoyed being with other women while she was still waiting to feel that special something when Luke kissed her.
Alex hadn’t stopped calling, and seeing his name on her caller ID still made her heart speed up. She didn’t dare answer. She knew it would take so little to fall for his lies again, and she’d be right back where she’d been for years, waiting for the next heartache. Just hearing his
He drove in no direction for hours. The more he thought about it, the more he realized he couldn’t just give up. It finally dawned on him. No girl had ever come close to making him feel what he was feeling. His entire life was on hold now because of Valerie. There was no moving on. He needed to do something about it.
When he finally made it home that night, he reread the message that still sat on his coffee table. What the hell was his problem anyway? Why couldn’t he just leave a damn message like a normal person? He ripped the page out of the notebook and did some more tweaking.
He picked up his phone and dialed before he could change his mind. His heart raced at the chance that she might actually answer. She didn’t. He cleared his throat during her voicemail greeting and took a deep breath. It beeped and he stared at the paper in his hand. “Valerie… I’m sorry. I’ve been an ass all this time… ” He sounded like a robot to his own ears so he crumpled the paper and sat down running his hand through his hair. “Look Valerie, I didn’t even realize how much I missed you, until I saw you again... I am so sorry about everything. I know I screwed up bad. And I know you have lots of questions, but I have answers. I promise. If you’d just give me the chance, I can explain it all. All I do… ” He paused and took a deep breath. “All I do is think about you, baby… today was torture. You have no idea what you do to me. Val,” His voice dropped almost to a whisper. “Please tell me you haven’t given up on us. I’m going crazy here. Call me.”
He clicked the phone and hung up surprised at himself. He hadn’t even realized he felt all that until the words just came out. He threw the phone down on the sofa and sat back. Frustration now clouded all the other emotions he’d felt for weeks.
*
Despite the fact that days passed since Valerie saw Alex again, she still felt the effects of being so close to him again. Luke was her only hope now. But every time she saw Alex again that hope slowly lost ground.
In some ways, she was very surprised that the whole relationship thing with Luke was still working out. Luke promised he’d be discreet at the office, and so far he’d kept his promise. That really helped, because she had to admit she had been worried about things changing. They would go out on the weekend but she always claimed to be too tired during the week, her way of keeping things from getting too heavy. The night at the sports bar had been the first weeknight she spent with him. Even that had been on the insistence of Isabel.
She tried not to spend too much time at the office with him and that was easy. Her clients kept her busy outside showing properties and doing open houses. Like today, she showed so many properties she didn’t even bother going back at the end of the day. She called Luke and told him she was done. All she could think of was getting home to take a shower and relax. Luke made a comment about her showering at his place, but she politely passed on the offer.
Valerie reiterated to Luke that she wanted to take things reall y slowly. After a few more heated evenings with him, she could tell Luke was getting anxious to do more. She just wasn’t ready for it. She wondered if she ever would be. How was it so damn easy for Alex to be with someone else? It hurt that he actually enjoyed being with other women while she was still waiting to feel that special something when Luke kissed her.
Alex hadn’t stopped calling, and seeing his name on her caller ID still made her heart speed up. She didn’t dare answer. She knew it would take so little to fall for his lies again, and she’d be right back where she’d been for years, waiting for the next heartache. Just hearing his
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