Love Hurts Read Online Free PDF Page A

to come back to me? I want what’s best for you, Cortland. If you gave these girls a real chance, maybe you’d find someone that could complete you. Maybe you’d find your perfect woman. But if you aren’t giving them a chance, you’ll get nowhere. Take the time to figure out what you want. I’ll still be here whatever you decide.” She crossed her arms over her chest and stared me down.
    “But…I only want you.”
    She didn’t react. “But you still don’t trust me…”
    I sighed. “I’ve seen how much you’ve changed. Just the fact you’re giving me this kind of space shows how much you care about me…but I’m still scared you’re going to hurt me again.”
    “I understand.”
    I stepped away and walked in a circle. “But I don’t want to date anyone. I don’t want to kiss anyone. I just want to be with you, but in a way I can’t get hurt.”
    “Basically, what we’ve been doing so far?”
    “I guess…”
    “Then leave it that way. Maybe you’ll trust me again. Maybe you won’t.”
    Her indifference still irritated me. “Why did you have to hurt me? We were fucking perfect and then you destroyed everything.”
    She finally reacted. Her eyes coated with tears. “I already hate myself, Cortland. I can’t hate myself more than I already do.”
    “We’d probably be married right now!”
    She stood up then opened the door. “Go.”
    “What?’
    “I can’t do this.” Her eyes bubbled with tears. “I know what I did, Cortland. You don’t need to remind me. I’ll always hate myself for what I did to you. In my dreams, it haunts me. In my waking hours, it suffocates me. Please don’t throw it in my face. You can’t hate me more than I already hate myself.”
    I stared at her, feeling my heart break in two. “I don’t hate you…”
    “You should.” She wouldn’t look at me.
    “How could I hate someone I love so much?”
    “I don’t deserve to be loved by you.”
    “But you are,” I said simply. “Nothing you say or do will change that.”
    She opened the door wider. “Please go.”
    I stepped closer to the door but didn’t step out. Instead, I turned to her and cupped her face, kissing her tears away.
    Her breathing hitched as soon as I touched her. She sniffed lightly.
    “I’ll always love you, Monnique. Please don’t cry.”
    She took a deep breath and stilled her tears. “I’m sorry.”
    “Don’t be sorry.” I pressed my head to hers and held her for a moment, listening to her breathe. “I wished I didn’t love you so damn much. But I do. And I always will.”
    Her breathing increased but she didn’t have any other noticeable reaction
    “Good night.”
    “Good night,” she whispered.
    I let my emotions get the better of me, and I cupped her face and kissed her. The taste of salt was imminent.
    Her lips pressed to mine before they were gone.
    Without looking at her, I walked out and shut the door behind me.

3
    Hazel
    Living with Flynn was going well. It’d only been a week, but I was comfortable there. But, I still had a lot of progress to make. I still thought of everything as his, so I refrained from touching his belongings or using everything as much as possible.
    “Can I take a shower?” I asked when I got home from rehearsal.
    He was sitting on the couch with his computer in his lap. “What?” He turned around and looked at me.
    I raised my voice. “Can I take a shower?” How could he not hear me?
    He covered his ears and cringed. “I heard what you said. But why are you asking me that?”
    “Oh. I just…wanted to see if it’s okay.”
    He rolled his eyes then placed his computer on the coffee table. He came over to me, annoyance on his face. “Hazel, this is our apartment, as in, it belongs to both of us. You are welcome to do whatever the hell you want. You don’t need to ask my permission to do anything.”
    “Well, I didn’t know if you were planning on showering or something…”
    “So? Tell me to deal with it.” He had a playful