Ex, Why, and Me Read Online Free PDF Page B

did he think he had the power to change the past. To erase it? To make Michelle forgive and forget?
    While he was often accused of being too optimistic, Ryan never strove for the impossible. He might have gone over the edge this time. What he wanted to accomplish was unrealistic. He got that now. If he really wanted that episode to be forgotten, wouldn’t it be more effective—not to mention easier—if he avoided Michelle for the next fifty or sixty years?
    Anyway, did he really want to spend all this time with a woman who refused to look at him?
    Ryan turned toward her. “Michelle, maybe this was a bad idea.”
    Her head jerked up. The bare look in her eyes made his gut twist. As though he had betrayed her. Let her down.
    “I can tell the organizers I can’t do it. Family obligations”—which wouldn’t be far from the truth—“and they can find you another partner.”
    Her mouth dropped open. “You’re bailing out on me?”
    Ryan couldn’t stop staring at her soft, parted lips. It took him a minute to realize what she was saying. “No! I’m not doing that at all.”
    She gestured at the scavenger hunt starting point. “This thing starts any second now and you’re leaving?”
    “I’m trying to give you a—”
    “Typical.” Michelle tossed her hands up in the air with frustration. “If this isn’t just like a man.”
    Ryan held up his hands. “Hey!” He was trying to do her a favor. Couldn’t she see that?
    “I should have known.” She shoved her fingers in her hair. “Just when you’re ready to go all out for it, the man will leave you high and dry.”
    Heh. Ryan rocked back on his foot. That almost sounded as if she was complaining about that night. Which couldn’t be, because Michelle would never bring it up. Never.
    “I’m here at the starting gate and you’re ready to withdraw.” She jerked her thumb back.
    Although she might hint to that night.
    Michelle planted her hands on her hips. “Just goes to show that men can’t stick it out,” she said to no one in particular.
    And be sneaky about it. Ryan frowned as the slow, rare anger simmered inside him. He hadn’t expected this response. He had imagined undying gratitude, not thinly veiled comments. “Now wait a minute.”
    “Men have no staying power,” she announced and gave a shrug, as if she should have known this all along.
    “What?” He gave a quick look around, but no one on the crowded sidewalk was paying attention.
    “None whatsoever.” She shook her head. “If I could go solo, I would.”
    “Michelle,” he said with a bite of warning, but she didn’t hear it.
    “I could get the job done on my own, and in about half the time,” she bragged.
    That gave him a wild image. Michelle naked, legs parted, her hand dipping…“I’m staying,” he said through clenched teeth.
    “No, no.” She gave him a dismissive wave. “Don’t stick around for me.”
    “I’m not.” He grabbed her wrist. Heat sparked under his palm when he touched her. His thumb pressed against her thudding pulse point. “I’m sticking around to prove you wrong.”
    She warily watched him bring her hand to his chest. “About what?” she asked, curling her fingers closed.
    “I am more than willing to show you just how much”—he paused until she looked at him straight in the eye—“ staying power I have.”
    Michelle squeezed her eyes shut. Why wasn’t the ground opening up and swallowing her whole? “R-Ryan.” She knew her face was beet red. “I wasn’t suggesting—”
    “Oh, of course not.”
    She wasn’t! It just came out that way, but she didn’t mean it like that . “Seriously. I was talking about the hunt.”
    “Uh-huh.” His thumb brushed back and forth against her wrist. The teasing touch was turning her quick responses into sludge.
    She yanked her arm away from him. “I was.”
    “Michelle, after this hunt is over, you’ll forget all about that one night.”
    She folded her arms across her chest and glared at him.