Read Online Without You Here by Carter Ashby - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Carter Ashby
Tags: Humor, Romance, Literature & Fiction, Contemporary, Romantic Comedy, Contemporary Fiction, Contemporary Women, Women's Fiction
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went into her room and shut the door.
Ettie sat on the couch where Lauren had been. She propped her bare feet up on the coffee table. Blake slid his arm along the back of the couch behind her and angled toward her. "You ready to talk?"
She rolled her head toward him. "I said what I wanted to say on Friday."
He nodded, patiently. He was always patient. This time he was even compassionate because she looked more miserable than he'd ever seen her. Her eyes were puffy from too much crying. Her skin was devoid of its usual high color. He sighed. "And then you left and didn't hear what I had to say. Which is that you're wrong. I do respect you. And I do like you just the way you are."
"Wednesday when we went to Kenny's party, all you did was elbow me in the ribs to get me to shut up. And when you came to pick me up, you made me change my clothes three times."
"So because I believe in adhering to social rules involving polite conversation and proper attire, that means I'm repressing your free spirit, is that it?"
"It wasn't just that one night. You know it wasn't. You're embarrassed by me and I don't see why you even want to be my boyfriend."
He sighed and rested a hand on her knee. "Ettie, I'm not embarrassed by you. I love you. You're fun and exciting and I can't believe my good luck in getting to you first. I'm not losing you because you're insecure—“
"I'm not insecure!" She sat up and glared at him. "You really don't know me at all if you think that. I don't give a shit what you or anyone else thinks of me. I like myself and I'll take my own company alone before I'll change who I am to suit someone else. This is the twenty-first fucking century, Blake! There are no rules. We can be what we want. Who we want."
"Fine," he said, patting her knee and speaking in his most soothing voice. "Okay, you're not insecure. That was a poor word choice. But listen. Think about what you and I have. How good we are together. I don't want to lose that. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me. And this is the longest relationship you've ever had, admit it." Because I'm the only one who'll put up with your shit for more than a week .
"Just because no one else wants me doesn't make you my only option. I know how to be alone, Blake. I'd rather that than be with someone who doesn't respect me."
He closed his eyes and breathed through the frustration. He'd have to give her what she wanted. "I'm sorry," he said. "I suppose in a way, you're right. You're so different from me. So different from the girls I'm used to. And I love that about you, Ettie, I honestly do. It's just, we need time, you and me. If you go running off every time we have a conflict, you're never going to experience the love of a deep, committed relationship. You want that, don't you? Long-lasting...true love?"
She bit her bottom lip and nodded.
"Then that means working through our problems and forgiving each other. I love you, Ettie. Let's get through this and be stronger for it, okay?"
She was looking at him kind of funny. He was expecting, at this point, for her to be ramping back up to her enthused, energetic self. But instead she looked...apprehensive.
"Blake," she said. "I cheated on you this weekend."
His jaw dropped and for a moment he lost that firm hold he generally kept on his emotions. "You did what?"
She scooted back and wrapped her arms around her middle. "After we fought I went to a bar for a drink. And there was this guy."
"And he hit on you?"
"No, I hit on him. I totally picked him up. We spent that night together. And Saturday night and Sunday morning, too."
Blake stared at the space in front of him. He didn't even know how to react. He hadn't thought, impulsive though she was, that she was capable of this level of betrayal. "This isn't like you at all," he said.
"That's...that's all you have to say?"
Blake huffed and shrugged. "I don't know. I'm shocked, I guess. Did you use protection?"
"Did I use protection? That's all you want to
Ettie sat on the couch where Lauren had been. She propped her bare feet up on the coffee table. Blake slid his arm along the back of the couch behind her and angled toward her. "You ready to talk?"
She rolled her head toward him. "I said what I wanted to say on Friday."
He nodded, patiently. He was always patient. This time he was even compassionate because she looked more miserable than he'd ever seen her. Her eyes were puffy from too much crying. Her skin was devoid of its usual high color. He sighed. "And then you left and didn't hear what I had to say. Which is that you're wrong. I do respect you. And I do like you just the way you are."
"Wednesday when we went to Kenny's party, all you did was elbow me in the ribs to get me to shut up. And when you came to pick me up, you made me change my clothes three times."
"So because I believe in adhering to social rules involving polite conversation and proper attire, that means I'm repressing your free spirit, is that it?"
"It wasn't just that one night. You know it wasn't. You're embarrassed by me and I don't see why you even want to be my boyfriend."
He sighed and rested a hand on her knee. "Ettie, I'm not embarrassed by you. I love you. You're fun and exciting and I can't believe my good luck in getting to you first. I'm not losing you because you're insecure—“
"I'm not insecure!" She sat up and glared at him. "You really don't know me at all if you think that. I don't give a shit what you or anyone else thinks of me. I like myself and I'll take my own company alone before I'll change who I am to suit someone else. This is the twenty-first fucking century, Blake! There are no rules. We can be what we want. Who we want."
"Fine," he said, patting her knee and speaking in his most soothing voice. "Okay, you're not insecure. That was a poor word choice. But listen. Think about what you and I have. How good we are together. I don't want to lose that. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me. And this is the longest relationship you've ever had, admit it." Because I'm the only one who'll put up with your shit for more than a week .
"Just because no one else wants me doesn't make you my only option. I know how to be alone, Blake. I'd rather that than be with someone who doesn't respect me."
He closed his eyes and breathed through the frustration. He'd have to give her what she wanted. "I'm sorry," he said. "I suppose in a way, you're right. You're so different from me. So different from the girls I'm used to. And I love that about you, Ettie, I honestly do. It's just, we need time, you and me. If you go running off every time we have a conflict, you're never going to experience the love of a deep, committed relationship. You want that, don't you? Long-lasting...true love?"
She bit her bottom lip and nodded.
"Then that means working through our problems and forgiving each other. I love you, Ettie. Let's get through this and be stronger for it, okay?"
She was looking at him kind of funny. He was expecting, at this point, for her to be ramping back up to her enthused, energetic self. But instead she looked...apprehensive.
"Blake," she said. "I cheated on you this weekend."
His jaw dropped and for a moment he lost that firm hold he generally kept on his emotions. "You did what?"
She scooted back and wrapped her arms around her middle. "After we fought I went to a bar for a drink. And there was this guy."
"And he hit on you?"
"No, I hit on him. I totally picked him up. We spent that night together. And Saturday night and Sunday morning, too."
Blake stared at the space in front of him. He didn't even know how to react. He hadn't thought, impulsive though she was, that she was capable of this level of betrayal. "This isn't like you at all," he said.
"That's...that's all you have to say?"
Blake huffed and shrugged. "I don't know. I'm shocked, I guess. Did you use protection?"
"Did I use protection? That's all you want to
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