Chapter 8
Idrag my luggage down the hall, following Remi to our room.
Yes, that’s right. Our room.
We’ve taken the awkwardness to a new level.
So far, the journey up to the seventh floor has been in complete silence. She stops in the hall and watches while I put the key in the card reader. The green light flashes, and I push the door open, holding it for her to pass through. She makes a point of keeping her body as far away from me as possible and ends up bumping her shoulder into the doorframe as she goes by.
“Need some help?” There’s a layer of amusement in my voice that I’m hoping hides the hurt I feel.
She’s avoiding touching me as if I were a urinal at a public park.
“I’ve got it,” she says as she yanks her luggage through the opening.
I’m slightly offended. It’s not like I’m some stranger that Reece and Jana picked up on the corner with a registered sex offender card. For the last two years, Remi thought I was pretty dang great. She had no problem being close to me or touching me then.
She peeks around the room. It’s a suite with two bedrooms and a shared living space. “Do you have a preference on which room you want?” she asks.
“You can choose. You seem to be good at choosing stuff on my behalf.”
Like choosing to end our relationship.
Her body stiffens, and she grabs the handle of her suitcase, heading for the door. “This isn’t going to work. I’m looking for another hotel.”
I’m brokenhearted and bitter, but I’m not a complete jerk.
“Sorry,” I say, stepping in front of her. “That was uncalled for. We can both stay here.”
“I don’t think we can.”
“Why?”
“You’re obviously upset with me. And…”—she glances away—“I think it would be best if we kept our distance from each other this weekend.”
I laugh, not because things are funny, but because I can’t believe how screwed up everything has become. “I’d love to know what I did that makes you not even want to be in the same vicinity as me.”
“You didn’t do anything.”
“Well, I must have done something.”
She shakes her head. “You didn’t. I told you. Things between us just aren’t going to work.”
“That’s it?”
She nods. “That’s it.”
I don’t know why I’m trying. It’s not like I’m going to get any answers from Remi. If she wasn’t willing to tell me two months ago what happened, why would she tell me now?
“So, as you can see,” she says, “it’s not a good idea for us to share the same suite and spend so much time together. I don’t want to get your hopes up.”
And there’s the pity look. The one I call ‘you poor thing.’ It goes like this: You poor thing. You’re still in love with me and are probably hoping that if we share the same suite, we’ll get back together.
Yep, the look conveys all of that.
And the worst part is, I feel all of that.
But I don’t need this. I don’t need Remi’s pity.
“I’m fine if we share the room.” I widen my stance, folding my arms across my chest. “You don’t have to worry. I know we’re over. Unless, of course, you’re worried that you’ll develop feelings for me again.”
Her head pulls back slightly. She clearly wasn’t expecting that.
“Why would I be worried? I’m the one that broke up with you?”
I smile, laying it on thick. “I think you’ve forgotten how charming I can be.”
Laughter puffs out of her mouth. “You’re not that charming.”
“Just keep telling yourself that.” My arms drop, and I take a step toward her. I should have stayed put, but I’m not smart. I’m entering enemy territory, placing myself in direct danger.
“I don’t need to tell myself that,” Remi says, stepping back.
“And why is that?” I walk forward again. I don’t mean to. It just happens.
“This might be hard for you to hear.” Her shoulders roll back, and her chin lifts. “But I’m not attracted to you.”
My eyes pull together as I take in what she said.
Her chin lifts even higher. “I’m not attracted to you,” she says louder as if I didn’t hear her the first time.
My solid facade breaks, and I laugh. It’s funny because if I know anything, I know Remi is most definitely attracted to me. And I’m not saying that to be cocky. I’ve got two years’ worth of experience that tells me she’s lying right now.
“You’re not attracted to me?” I say through my laughs. “That’s a really funny joke.”
She glares back at me. “It’s not a joke. I’m a really honest person.”
“No, you’re trying to test my patience.”
“And what if I am?”
“Then you’ll lose.”
She scoffs. “I’ll lose?”
“Yes, you’ll end up begging me to take you back.”
It’s her turn to laugh. “Oh, wow. Someone thinks highly of himself.”
“I know you don’t have the willpower to stay away from me. You know it too. That’s why you don’t want to share a room with me.”
Now she’s the one taking a step closer. “And you think you have the willpower to stay away from me?”
I drop my chin, putting our faces closer together. “I know I do.”
“So, this is war, then?” Her eyebrows raise. “Who is stronger this weekend? Matthew Johnson or Remington Ward?”
My gaze sweeps across her face, taking in every little detail that I’ve missed the last two months. “Oh, I know I’m stronger. You don’t want to go up against me.”
“I want to.” She smiles defiantly. “I’ve got nothing to fear.”
“You’re going to regret this.”
“I won’t.”
We stare at each other for a moment. Her brown eyes hold me under her spell, but I can’t show it. This is war. And I plan on winning. Remi is public enemy number one.
I will not fall for her this weekend.
Or, I guess in this case, let her know that I never stopped falling for her.
“Then let it begin,” I say.
Her lips pucker together. “Let it begin.”
She grabs her bag and walks to the nearest bedroom, slamming the door, leaving me wondering what I just started.