No Feelings: Just Sex

ast liquid shadows on the windowpanes, and city lights shimmered through them in fractured gold and neon blues. The kind of night that begged for ja

rts-oversized, worn at the cuffs, and so threadbare it had started unraveling at the seams. She

thing keeping her tethered to the floor. But the moment had already arrived-the tipping poin

af

li

wo

betra

walls, the minimalist black-and-gold accent pieces she'd picked out with such careful precision, the fra

place felt like a museum of

behind her. The door clic

ith forced casualness. Like nothing had h

She let out a breath so s

polished. Jacket sharp. Smile lazy. That smile had once made her stomac

g her eyes trail over him like he was

he asked coolly, voice flat,

rching for some footing. "I mean, yeah. Work was work

med inside her head

nodded. "

e'd prepared, and handed it to him without a word. Conf

mails. Text me

e" and "can't stop thinking about last night." And Damon-her Damon-replying i

ed the

ad

. "Don't insult me with excuses. I gav

s goi

rrowing. "When? After the third ti

e weight of it all finally registering in hi

they? *It didn't mean anything.* Like that makes it better. Like s

said, quieter now. "A s

ressed emotion. "For something to be a *mistake*, it has

oked

idn't even try to hide it well. You got lazy. You g

might earn forgiveness. "Jade-please. We've

g away," she snapped. "I'

et. But it wasn't for her. It was for being caught. For lo

ou," he w

ed what I gave you. Stability. Admiratio

ing silence hu

he waiting for you to come running? Or does

er. Which told

I was *more* than enough. You just didn't know what

or-his things, neatly packed: shirts, shoes, the cologne she used to

ened t

was worth it

ck at the woman he'd once loved. Or maybe just

or the first time, he actua

ed once.

before he could

chasing. No se

al exorcism. She closed her eyes. Felt the silence settle in again. But this time,

n, and for a moment, she paused. Her face looked tired. Her eyes dull. Hair pulled into a l

would

in slow, deliberate strokes. She took off the sweatshirt, dropped it into the laundr

't look like someone wh

like some

e. This time, she drank it slowly, savoring it. The war

n the counter. A m

bring tequila a

smi

. But bring th

-

ade a decision that would r

. No more shrinking herself to

take bac

herself *want*-without guilt, without shame, witho

lo

o

de peop

de peop

n into fools who ignored all

er a

eeli

t s

e would be the on