“No, not okay.” A muscle twitched in his handsome jaw. “I’m nothing like Matthew—yes, I know all about Matthew, your Marine, and yeah, I’d heard rumors that he couldn’t keep his dick in his pants. But I don’t do shit like that. I don’t screw around on women I happen to care about.”
“Garrett…” The fire in his eyes made her reconsider. Closing her mouth, she simply sighed and waited for him to get it all out.
“You think I’d say everything I said, about wanting you, about how crazy I am about you, and then turn around and f**k a stranger? Never mind that I’ll be on the job, most likely in a remote corner of the world where the only women I’ll encounter would rather strap bombs to their chests than f**k Americans, but damn it. You think I’d do that to you?”
She drew in a long breath, suddenly feeling ridiculously foolish for comparing this man to her ex. Garrett might have a wild past, but she believed him when he claimed to have been celibate for the last year, and in that year, he’d shown up at the café almost daily, buying lattes he didn’t even like just so he could see her. And last night…God, last night he’d actually watched her have sex with his best friend just because he wanted to let her have the fantasy, because he wanted to be with her. And the way he kissed her…it was packed with way more emotion than anything she’d ever experienced.
Damn it, she really was an idiot.
Obviously Garrett agreed, because he was already making a swift move for the door.
“Fuck this,” he muttered. “Obviously our friendship this past year has taught you nothing about me. Obviously everything that happened last night—and mere minutes ago—didn’t make any impact on you either. If you don’t want to trust me, fine, don’t trust me. Screw you, Shelby. I won’t jump through hoops over something some other jerk did.”
“Garrett—” But it was too late. He was already gone, and jeez, but the man could move. She’d barely made it two steps out of the bedroom after him when she heard the door of the apartment slam shut. A few moments later, the distant sound of an engine starting filled her ears, and then there was nothing but the light pounding of the rain against the windows.
Chapter Six
Garrett had just slung his duffel over his shoulder and was heading across the base toward the waiting Navy helicopter when a familiar voice stopped him in his tracks.
He froze for a second, then turned around and sure enough, Shelby was hurrying toward him. She was wearing a pair of faded jeans and a bright green T-shirt, and her wavy blonde hair was pretty much soaked from the rain.
He managed to hide his surprise as she walked toward him with quick strides. What was she doing here? After the way he’d left things back at her apartment, he hadn’t expected to see her again this soon. If ever. Damn, he’d really f**ked up, blowing up at her like that, but could anyone really blame him? He’d made it obvious how much he liked her, how badly he wanted to be with her, and in return she’d asked him if he was going to screw someone else when he was gone. Her distrust in him had been crushing.
Maybe he shouldn’t have yelled at her the way he had, but hell, how could she have so little faith in him?
“Do you have a minute?” she asked, pushing wet strands of hair out of her eyes.
It was possibly the most absurd question she could’ve asked. Not only was the sound of the helicopter blades whirring a clear sign that no, he didn’t have a minute, but her polite tone made him want to kick something.
“Who let you out here?” he returned without answering her. His question made more sense, anyway, considering civilians weren’t usually allowed in this part of the base.
“I did,” came another voice.
Garrett glanced past Shelby’s delicate shoulders and saw Carson striding toward them. Stopping only to give Shelby a quick side hug, Carson slung his bag over his shoulder and headed for the helicopter, where the rest of the team was waiting. “Don’t f**k this up,” Carson called without turning around, his words swallowed by the sound of the rotors.
Garrett glanced back at Shelby, wiping drops of rain from his face. “So…what’s up?” Wonderful. Another stupid question to join the mix.
“I couldn’t let you leave without…”
She hesitated and his brain quickly filled in the blank.
Breaking up with you.
Voicing my extreme dislike of you.
Kissing you.
“Apologizing,” she finished.
“Apologizing,” he repeated.
“Yeah.” A shaky breath slipped out of her mouth. “I acted like an idiot. A jealous, insecure idiot. And you had every right to walk out on me the way you did.”
He shook his head. “I should’ve stayed.”
“Well, I shouldn’t have asked you if you planned on sleeping with someone else when you’re gone. And I definitely shouldn’t have compared you to my ex.”
“I shouldn’t have said ‘screw you’.”
She laughed. “That was kind of harsh, but I think I deserved it.” Her laughter faded quickly, and he could see the uncertainty floating in her gorgeous blue eyes. “Can you forgive me, Garrett?”
Jesus, he couldn’t remember the last time a woman had stood before him and asked for his forgiveness. Usually he was the one doing the asking.
“I know you’re probably still mad,” she continued quickly, “but I really am sorry for the stuff I said, and I really do want to be with you when you get back. Whenever that is.