When you look at me I just can't lie

Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Lena’s eyes opened and came to realize several things at once; she wasn’t at home in her own bed, last night she drank a little too much, Zander…. the pieces of night fell together and she bolted out of the bed.

“Morning after regrets?” Zander didn’t sound pleased like he was ready for the other shoe to drop.

Lena remembered after drinking, a lot, and showing up to his place. She remembered everything that happened. It wasn’t that she regretted it, what she regretted was showing up at all. All the truths she confessed to him were meant to stay hidden in her heart. “We still have the same problem.” With record time she began to dress.

“What problem is that?”

“We don’t work. When we’re here alone together something happens and it’s magical but out there in the real world you don’t like me, Zander.” Being rational wasn’t Lena’s strong suit but she knew this had to be said before they made any more mistakes. She’d much rather fall back into bed with him and spend the rest of the day in his arms but again the world wasn’t carved out like that. They had to be realists before the heart ache became unbearable.

“I don’t like who you pretend to be. There’s a difference.”

Lena spun around and saw he wasn’t making the same effort to get dressed and push last night aside. He stood from the bed and got as far as pulling his boxers back on. She thought by now she’d get used to seeing his naked chest but nope, every time he managed to take her breath away. Having sex didn’t dim the attraction either, right now even with a hangover she was turned on by just looking at him. Mel would say she got it bad, real bad.

With a shake of her head she turned away. “I have to get home before my mom freaks.”

“Mel told her you were staying with a friend after the party.”

“What? How do you know that?”

“Because I called Mel and told her what to say.”

Lena whipped back around and faced her living breathing teal eyed heartache. “My sister knows we slept together?”

“I didn’t go into details, princess. I told her you stopped by to talk drunk off your ass and crashed in the living room. Maybe I had a sixth sense this morning was going to go this way.” He snatched his shirt off the floor and walked out of the room.

Lena cursed, running her hands through her messy hair. Things must’ve changed drastically over the last few weeks because she didn’t want to hurt Zander, she didn’t want him to be angry because she didn’t know what she was doing. That was it!

She followed him out of the room. “I don’t know what the hell I’m doing and besides telling me I’m wrong you haven’t really given me any suggestions here.”

He was leaning back against the kitchen counter holding a cup. “I’m not going to tell you what to do.”

“Suggesting is different from telling.”

“Is it now, smarty pants? Fine.” He sat the cup of what looked like orange juice down and stepped closer. He stood on one side of the nook while she stood on the other, much like their first kiss. “You came to me last night and the last thing you said that didn’t involve the words ‘oh god, yes, and harder’ was you feared none of what we talked about would be real tomorrow morning. It’s tomorrow morning and you’re the one making it not real.”

Lena failed miserably at trying not to blush. Zander didn’t have a single drink last night and of course would remember everything crystal clear. “You’re the first one to tell me I’m a selfish bitch. For the first time in my life I’m trying to look at the bigger picture and not be selfish!” he didn’t seem to understand she was thinking about him too.