My feet were cold, but the rest of me was oh so warm as his arms held onto me, as he rested his chin on my head. We sat there in silence for what felt like ever, the moon slowly inching its way across the night sky.
I was calmed down, about to fall asleep in his arms even though the position was uncomfortable, but without warning, we weren’t alone.
Another car pulled up, this one parking on the street since there was no more room in the driveway. I felt Mason shift under me, and he whispered, “Bree…” There was something in his tone I didn’t like, and I pulled away from his chest to look at the newcomer.
It wasn’t a newcomer. It was Calum.
He did not look too happy, either.
Mason released me, allowing me to get to my feet. “What—” I couldn’t get any other words out, because of the storm that was Calum.
He said nothing, walking up to me with fury in his gaze. His blonde hair appeared almost silver, and before anything else could be said, he grabbed the sides of my head and kissed me with a fire that nearly burned me, a passion that almost fried my very soul. All anger and heat and lust, all rolled up into one.
“You,” he whispered as he pulled his lips off mine, “are so…infuriating, Bree.” His hands still held onto my head, forcing me to stare up into his eyes. “Hilary came to get me to take her back, and I sent her packing. I don’t want her. I want you.”
He wanted…me? That just didn’t sound right.
Calum was slow to drop his hands, watching as Mason moved to stand beside me. The two men glared at each other for a moment, while I was stuck in the middle. Literally—I was in the middle, caught between two handsome men who each, for whatever reason, refused to give me up.
Hmm. Maybe if I tell them the truth, they’d make this easier on all of us.
“Stop it,” I said, stepping out from between them, causing them both to look to me. “I don’t…I can’t. I can’t do this anymore.”
It was Mason who asked, “Can’t do what?”
Calum stayed quiet, his blue eyes heavy on me.
I gestured between them. “This. You. Both of you. I can’t—I just can’t do it anymore.” I fumbled over my words like an expert, sounding ridiculous and stupid, and I hated it, just like I hated what I was about to say. “I like you both, and I know you’ll both want me to choose. I can’t.”
Uh-oh. Here come the tears again. I tried to bite them back, tried to stave them off before they started to fall again. I needed to say this, and I needed both guys to believe me when I said it. This was me being one hundred percent serious; this wasn’t me exaggerating or trying to see what the guys would say in response.
This was me giving up.
“I won’t,” I said, taking a step away from them as I wriggled my way out of Mason’s hoodie. I tossed it at him, and he caught it, looking at me like I was insane. “So I think it’s best if I just…stop seeing you both.”
“Bree—” Mason started, and Calum was much the same, for he spoke, “No—”
But I was having none of it. I held up my hand, turned on my heel, and hurried back to the house, before the cool night air could swallow me whole. Saying goodbye to them both had been the hardest thing I’d ever had to do in my life, but it needed to be done. It was more than obvious I could never be what they wanted, and choosing one over the other just wasn’t in the cards for me.
I loved them both, so I’d let them go. They’d be happier without me.
Neither Mason nor Calum came after me. I shut the front door and locked it, and I stood there, waiting for them to leave, for a little while. Both of my men—though they weren’t mine anymore—stood outside for too long, so eventually I gave up and headed upstairs, buried myself in my blankets and pillows, and tried to sleep.
Sleep would not come on this night. I couldn’t help but feel like I’d just made the worst mistake of my life.
Chapter Seventeen – Mason
Seeing Calum kiss Bree was not something I enjoyed, but after what Bree just said, after watching her walk away,