Entice - By Ella Frank Page 0,74

she wants to talk to me,” he told her.

Then, he watched as she rolled her eyes.

“What?” he questioned.

“Nothing.”

Josh stopped at a red light and looked to Shelly. “Tell me.”

“That’s what all women say when they want to get a guy back,” she informed.

Josh sighed, moving the car forward when the light turned green. “Well, I don’t want her back. I left her, remember?” he told her pointedly.

As he sat there waiting for her response, he thought this was probably a good time to confess about owning the construction business, too. After all, she was already pissed. Probably best to get it out and just let her get over all the bad at once. Then, we can focus on the good, right?

“Look, I don’t want Melissa. She has some stupid idea that she wants to discuss things with me. Shelly, she cheated on me. Why would I go back?”

“But you’re going to go and talk to her?” she asked again as if driving home a point.

“Yes. I told her I would.”

“Fine,” she responded and went back to silently looking out the window.

He drove them the rest of the way without saying a word. When he pulled up at the parking zone in front of her building, he parked the truck and watched as she unlatched the door. She seemed ready to get out without saying a word to him.

Josh suddenly felt it was crucial to stop her. For some reason, it seemed imperative that he make her talk to him now before he drove away. He didn’t know why, but he felt as though something was slipping away from him.

“Wait,” he told her.

Josh watched as she stopped her movements.

“What, Josh?” she asked coolly.

Josh swallowed. What the hell? I’m already in the bad books, might as well lay it all on the table. Here goes nothing… “If this weekend meant anything to you, anything at all, then please let me take care of this, and then come and get you.”

***

Shelly pushed open the truck door and climbed out without answering him. Her chest felt tight, and she wanted to scream, It meant everything! However, as her feet hit the pavement and she walked to the end of the truck, all she could think of was her mother’s sad face as she told her how she loved a man who didn’t love her. Then, as she banished that thought, she was swamped with visuals of her father calmly telling her that it was an arrangement between them, like it was some damn contract.

Now, here she was, standing on the curb in front of her building, with a man who had to leave her to go and appease another woman. No, thank you! That was not what she had in mind for herself—not ever.

She watched as Josh pulled her bag out of the truck and put it down in front of her, extending the handle. Reaching out, Shelly gripped it, and suddenly, he put his hand on top of hers. Looking up at him, his anxious eyes gazed down at her, but Shelly steeled herself against it.

“Don’t end us like this,” he said softly.

Standing tall, Shelly swallowed and asked, “End what, Josh? Nothing began. We had a fling.”

He stood back. Removing his hand from hers, he lifted it and ran it through his hair. “Wow. Just like that, huh?” He paused, and then bent down to get nose to nose with her. “You sure don’t have any trouble writing off people as you judge them, do you?”

Shelly raised a brow. “Excuse me?”

“I was worried you’d be pissed when I told you about my job. But I didn’t even need to do that because you’re pissed for no reason at all, aren’t you?” he asked in angry disbelief.

Shelly straightened her spine and tilted her head. “What about your job? You don’t work in construction now?”

He shook his head at her. “What do you care, Shelly? You’re done with me, isn’t that right?” He questioned.

Shelly felt her heart clench. Am I really done with him?

However, before she could even answer herself, he continued.

“Fine, go ahead and keep lying to yourself. Go and date Dr. Drab and the most boring men you can find because I tell you what—any man worth his weight would not stand here and be judged for something he didn’t do.”

He went to move around her, to walk away, but he stopped beside her, telling her softly, “I own the construction business Mason hired, and this weekend meant everything to me. Have a