After Kissing

19.

I stopped my thought. Not even daring to go down that road when I was at the same time shivering with dread at the realization of what that message meant. Or could mean. Maybe I was jumping into conclusions, but what other explanation could there be?

He slept with me and then had a girl texting him a sweet good morning text. It looked pretty bad. But then again, he kinda did the same to me right before breaking up. Guess he was still allergic to commitment, but I was disgusted that I could have taken part in cheating on someone else.

Best case scenario, they weren't an official thing. Or maybe an open couple? But then, how could he act so offended when I flirt with someone else but had his own set of girls?

Either way, I was suddenly fuming.

I should have known better, I thought furiously when the phone chimed again and Nate groaned in protest, so close his vibrations trespassed from his chest to my back and his arm around me tightened as he stirred.

"What's that?" even his morning voice was roughly alluring and they bristled me even more along with the spurn of desire it awoke.

"Your phone."

He chuckled and goosebumps erupted down my neck as his face hid in my hair. "Good morning."

"Morning." pushing the blankets aside and out of his embrace -still uneasy by the recent events- I got off the mattress, sliding in my panties that laid by the bed along with my bra. I felt less exposed once it's clasp was done. 

I shivered when his fingers brushed the small of my back and I turned to look at him lazily sprawled on the bed, blinking kinda sleepy still. "You don't have to go just yet. I don't have anything until lunch." Lunch plans. With Alissa? I hate the bitterness within me and barely was able to control a snarl. "So, wanna go grab something to eat or..."

"No, I... I have to work." What a lame excuse.

"It's Sunday."

Right. "I need to prapare tomorrow's reunion." Half truth. I needed to organize yesterday's interview, but what I really needed was to put some distance between us. Maybe then I would be able to think.

"Okay." Nate frowned at the ceiling, brushing his bare chest as I rapidly put on my dress. "You want me to drop you?"

"It's alright. I'll grab a cab."

"Oh, alright then... Hailey." he stopped me before I made it out the bedroom door. Taking in a sight I turned and allowed myself to properly look at him for the first time, surprised to see my same hesitation in his eyes as they scanned me up and down, trying to read me. Good luck with that. I can't even read myself. "Are we good?"

"Sure."

"It doesn't feel like we are." Nate frowned and got into a sitting position, his arms leaning casually over his knees and the sheets pooling around his hips. His eyes never leaving me, looking me in that way that got under my skin. And I hate how easily I was affected. How I'd let myself be fooled all over. Even with the little expectations I had... "What's wrong?"

His phone buzzed once more and my vexation sparkled in my guts.

"You should take it. Or Alissa's gonna worry." I shouldn't have said that. It was way out of line and it was so not my business, but it burned in my chest.

Please, don't let me have cheated on someone else.

"Alissa?" when his brows pulled together, surprised more than weirded, I knew I wasn't that far from the truth. Alissa was someone important to him. His girlfriend? "How is she part of this conversation?"