Chapter 6 #3
“Dance with me.”
He held out his hand, and she was so shocked she didn’t even really think about it as she let him lead her to the makeshift dance floor. His hand was so much bigger than hers; she could kind of disappear into it.
The dance floor was on the beach itself, so they kicked off their flip-flops and joined the others, including most of their group from the house.
The breeze was soft and cool, and the music was loud and great—a mix of salsa, R she couldn’t help it. She’d had enough of this.
“Excuse me,” Anya said to the woman. “I have to leave.”
She headed back toward the bar, pushing her way through the crowd of people on the dance floor. Behind her, she heard Gabe tell the woman he’d be right back.
“Anya!” he called after her. “Hold up a second!”
But Anya didn’t want to wait; she wanted to go. She made it to the edge of the dance floor and broke free of the throng of sticky bodies when she felt Gabe’s fingers close around her wrist. She jerked her arm away.
“Don’t touch me.”
“Sorry!” He put his hands up. “Anya, I’m sorry.”
“For what?” Anya spat. “For making me think you wanted to slot me into your rotation, or for forgetting you already had another woman on deck for tonight?”
Gabe looked ashamed.
“I did forget,” he said urgently. “I met Valeria earlier this week, and I totally forgot we said we might meet up tonight. She never even confirmed.”
“Oh!” Anya laughed meanly. “That’s different, if she never confirmed.”
“And anyway, that’s not even why…” He struggled for words. “I mean, with you and me—”
“I don’t care.” Anya’s voice was raw. She knew full well that Valeria wasn’t the reason Gabe had rejected Anya, because he did that before Valeria showed up.
But Anya couldn’t think about that, couldn’t ponder how colossally idiotic he’d made her feel.
“I can’t believe I let Simone talk me into thinking it was a good idea to sleep with you.
I knew you were a selfish asshole, that you were just trying to charm me like you charm everyone.
Shame on me for being stupid enough to let you. ”
Tears were streaming down Anya’s face. Damn it. One more humiliation to pile on the heap.
“That’s really what you think of me?” Gabe asked. He looked genuinely hurt. For a moment, Anya couldn’t believe he cared enough about her to be this upset. Then she remembered, it wasn’t about her at all. It was like Kira said: Gabe couldn’t cope with anyone not liking him.
“Anya? What’s going on?” Simone and Kira came rushing over, still sweaty from the dance floor. “Are you okay?”
“Can we go?” Anya turned to Simone. “I want to go.”
“Yes,” Simone replied firmly. Anya loved her for not asking questions. “We’ll leave right now.”
Anya saw Kira throw Gabe a questioning look, and Gabe still looked devastated, but Anya didn’t care.
She let Simone take her arm and steer her back toward the bar’s entrance.
As the sound of the music receded, Anya willed the image of Gabe’s face out of her mind.
He didn’t matter—none of this mattered. She was flying home tomorrow, and then she could forget all about this stupid trip, and this horrible night, and Gabe Hunt would be gone from her life forever.
Thank God, she thought. Can’t wait to never see you again.