Chapter 32
DANIEL
“You two are–”
“Don’t finish that sentence,” I said.
I shifted, pushed Melly’s knees together, grabbed her by the waist and set her on the floor, keeping her once again behind me.
“Are you serious? You’re fucking little Melly Harwood?”
I loved him, but I was going to kill him.
“OUT!” I boomed. Earl barked once.
Melly startled and her hand touched my back. “I’m just gonna… yeah.”
With her head down and shoulders tucked, she dashed for the stairs.
Danny watched her retreat.
Her walk of shame.
I stormed over and pointed in his face. “You will not disrespect her like that! You know better than to treat a woman that way.”
“I’m not the one making out with her on the counter,” he snapped.
“My kitchen. My house.”
“My date,” he countered.
I wasn’t going to remind him he didn’t want her. That he wasn’t interested in her. But that would make me sound like I was twenty-one. Like him.
“I love you, but you need to go. I respect your boundaries in your relationships and you will respect mine.”
“You’re fucking my ex!”
“Two dates, Danny. Two. She’s not your ex.” I pointed to the front door. “Go. We’ll talk later.”
He gave me a disgusted look, called for Earl and stormed out, the door slamming behind the two of them. Fred stared at the closed door, as if waiting for them to return.
Boundaries. Sounded familiar. Danny’d walked in on the little contract Melly and I had.
Reminded me that we were in our own little bubble.
This thing we were doing, this non-relationship fucking?
It wasn’t the real world. Danny’d just burst that, and it was a reminder that every touch, every breathy pant, every secret we discovered about each other wasn’t real.
I was leaving Saturday and it would all be over.
Fuck. FUCK!