Page 52 of Ink Me Bunny

A few seconds of silence permeate the space.

“I’m sorry.”

Crinkling my nose, I reply, “For what?”

“For being so indecisive and leading you on,” he tilts his head down to meet my gaze and pierces me with his intensity.

“You didn’t say a word to me for two months, and you want to keep it strictly business—I respected that,” I say intently.

He sighs. “I had a lot to think about. This isn’t easy for me, Lenny. This whole situation is complex and I needed to treat it carefully for both of our sakes.”

“Look I get it, I’m just some random girl that’s fun to be around. It didn’t mean anything.” I turn to grab my bag but his hand stops me as he pulls me flush against him.

“That’s not true,” he gazes at me through wounded eyes as if I said something inaccurate. “So you are angry?”

“What do you think?”

“That you’re being stubborn right now.”

“I just want to go to Bette and have a good nap, I’ll drop by your place to see Scar and then I’ll go.”

His warm breath fan my face, “Why are you running from me?”

“I’m not running.”

“I’m pretty qualified to know when someone does and you are.”

“Dean.” The assertiveness in my tone of voice resounds.

“Lennon.”

I grind my teeth. “What has gotten into you?”

Another moment of silence stretches under great tension like a tight rope rips in two.

“You, bunny.”

“If I’m a joke to you then I don’t want no part of it.” I try to haul out of his hold while I continue to pelt my words at him. “I understand why you battle with yourself. I’m young. We work together. You have your past. I’ve got mine. And you travel so no commitment policy. Maybe you’re looking for something casual and obviously, it’s not going to work with an employee.”

He stands there like a mighty tower made by the gods, his feet spread firmly in place, inaudible, while I try to twist out of his grasp.

“Are you done?” his complacent demeanor boils the blood in my veins.

I look him dead in the eyes like we’re at war and flinching is out of the question. “I’m not done,” in a steely tone, I add, “I shouldn’t have had those conversations with you. Everything was a mistake.” I scowl.

Nodding his chin up, “No it wasn’t.”

His eyes are brighter than I remembered, skimming over my facial features in a slow pursuit. The angles of his face sharpen to the point I can cut myself against him.

Why does he have to be so beautiful?

Shoving his chest, “We made a mistake once in the heat of the moment but I’m old enough to understand this is not going to work. Now let. Me. Go.”

“No.” He fastens his arms around me. “You said your peace now it’s my turn.”

I hate him for this, fueling my body as he does. My heart is beating frantically within my ribcage as the feel of his rises and falls. My cheeks probably changed color to fifty shades of tomato up until now, and the heat my body projects can easily start a fire.

“My childhood wasn’t pretty. My past relationships made me question everything. I avoided you out of fear.”