Turbulent Kisses by Jessica Gray

a split second before she frantically shoved herself out of his arms, reaching for a blanket and wrapping it around herself. “We’re done here. Get out!”
    Chase’s jaw fell open. He had known he was venturing into dangerous territory with that question, but this had in no way prepared him for her reaction.
    “Pearl. Darling. Please, calm down. Come back here and talk to me.”
    “No.” She edged further away from him, keeping the blanket wrapped tightly around her body and pointed towards the bedroom door with open terror in her eyes. “Leave. Now.”
    After what they had just shared, she was throwing him out. Again. He couldn’t believe it. Volatile didn’t even come close to describing this woman.
    “Pearl. Please, listen to me. I don’t know what your deal is with the leg and your injury, but I asked because I care.”
    “Yeah, well I didn’t ask you to care. Now leave.” Her face had taken on a dark and unapproachable expression, her voice high-pitched.
    Chase leaped from the bed, wanting to grab her and shake some sense into her, but that would solve nothing and probably only make matters worse.
    He shook his head at her and left. He wanted her more than anything in the world, but if she changed her mind, he wouldn’t force himself upon her.
     
    ***
     
    Pearl waited until she heard the front door close and sank down on the edge of the bed. Tears streamed down her face. She already missed Chase. But he had left, because she hadn’t given him any other choice.
    Why did he have to ask about my injury? Why couldn’t he keep his mouth shut?
    She’d never told anyone how the injury occurred. Ever. And he would be the last person she’d choose to tell. There was no way she could manage the pity she knew she would see in his eyes every time he looked at her.
    Everyone believed it was a training accident. That’s what she had announced.
    But it wasn’t. She had been attacked. Plain and simple. Something she didn’t want anyone to know. Pearl Davids was a strong woman, not a victim.
    Since the accident and her urge to hide what happened, she’d told many half-truths and she started to hate the maze of lies she had entangled herself in.
    The treatment at the hospital in Milwaukee. Yes, Dr. Kane was a great knee surgeon, but she could have gotten the same care back home in North Carolina. If she had wanted to run the risk of meeting an acquaintance, who might ask questions about her injury…no, not possible.
    Her public image was at stake here. Pearl had always presented herself as a strong, independent athlete. Weakness of any kind didn’t fit into that picture.
    Being a victim was weakness. In some part of her subconscious, she even believed it was her fault she got attacked. She should have been stronger, fought back, or – dammit – done something. Anything.
    Pearl unwrapped the blanket around her, dragged herself into the shower and then crawled onto the couch, too tired to change the sheets, and her emotions too raw to sleep on the bed where she and Chase had made love.
    The next morning, she went to the hospital for her therapy session. Doctor Kane looked at her knee and while he gave her a concerned look, he told her that apart from a small cut into the wound, she hadn’t re-injured her knee.
    The work with her therapist was a welcome distraction from her gyrating thoughts about Chase. It was afternoon when she arrived at the beach, ready for a workout and the inner peace that always settled her mind when she reached the runner’s high.
    Not today though.
    Without Chase, the beach felt empty. Her life felt empty.
    Last night had been the third time she’d dumped him, and it dawned on her she might not ever see him again.
    Short of sobbing, she pushed herself to run faster and faster, hoping the physical exertion would help drown out the guilt and utter loneliness.
    When that didn’t work, and her lungs wouldn’t provide the oxygen to run even faster, she had to acknowledge the futility in