Taming Alec(13)

I’d assumed that he was home and just avoiding me. I understood why, but I would have been lying if I said it didn’t hurt. The morning after our encounter on my couch, I’d woken up and realized how mortified I was. I’d let Alec touch me. I’d never, not even once, let another man touch me the way he had. With him, I hadn’t even thought about telling him no. At the time, it had felt right.

After a month of complete silence, I’d decided that I was an idiot for giving in to him. He obviously didn’t want anything to do with me. The man had admitted that he was a man-whore, yet he didn’t want me. Obviously, he’d had a moment of weakness that night, and it seemed to only strengthen his resolve to stay away from me.

I glanced back at his door one more time before finally unlocking mine and slipping into my apartment. I needed to forget about Alec. He’d certainly forgotten about me.



Two days later on Saturday morning, I finally saw Alec again. I almost wished I hadn’t. When I opened my apartment door to leave to meet Arie for breakfast, I saw Alec’s door opening as well. My stomach dropped to my knees when I saw a woman stepping out of his apartment. She had obviously spent the night with him if her smeared makeup and wrinkled clothes were any indication. She turned back and kissed him before walking away. She didn’t even seem to notice me standing only a few feet away.

A surge of anger went through me even though I had no right to feel that way. Alec wasn’t mine, not even close, and I had no claim on him. He could bring as many women as he wanted back to his apartment.

Alec started to close the door, but then he noticed me just before it shut. He hesitated, obviously debating on whether to close it the rest of the way or acknowledge me. That made me even angrier.

How dare he ignore me after everything that happened between us.

“Hey,” he said quietly as he opened the door a few more inches. He looked away as he spoke, a guilty look on his face.

I had no idea why he felt guilty, but there it was.

“Hi,” I said, trying to control the rage bubbling beneath the surface.

He raised his eyes to stare at me. Neither of us spoke for what seemed like an eternity.

“How have you been?” he finally asked.

“Um…good. You?”

Could this get any more awkward?

“I’m okay. My dad passed away three weeks ago. I’m still trying to deal with that.”

My anger instantly dissolved, and I took a step forward. “Oh God, I’m so sorry, Alec. I had no idea.”

I raised my hand to rest it on his arm, but I caught myself and slowly lowered it. Touching him wasn’t what either of us wanted or needed.

“It’s okay. I mean, yeah, it hurts, but I knew it was coming. I’d prepared myself for it.”

“It still has to be eating you alive,” I said quietly. “My dad took off when I was younger, and I’m so angry with him for it, but I’d still be heartbroken if something happened to him.”

Alec kept his expression neutral, but I could see the pain in his eyes.

“It is what it is. I just got back a couple of days ago. After his funeral was over, I had to deal with the paperwork to sign off on his estate and to sell his properties. It sucks being an only child because I have to deal with all of it on my own. It’s done now though, so I don’t have to worry about any of it anymore. His lawyers will handle it from here on out.”

I nodded, unsure of what to say. I felt a sense of relief from knowing that his absence hadn’t been because of me. I’d been so consumed with what happened that night that the thought of his father dying had never even occurred to me.

“Anyway, I’m going to head back to bed. I’ll see you later.” He started to close the door.

“Alec?”

He paused. “Yeah?”

“If you need to talk, you know where to find me. You know you can talk to me, right?”

He gave me a small smile. “I know. Thanks, Rebecca. You’re one of a kind.”

I watched as he closed his door. Instead of beating on his door like I wanted to, I turned and walked down the stairs. There were so many things I wanted to say to him, but now wasn’t the time. I wasn’t sure if there would ever be a right time to talk to Alec about what had happened between the two of us.



I felt like I was trapped somewhere between pathetic and obsessive. Alec was constantly on my mind. No matter where I was or what I was doing, I would catch myself thinking about him. I knew I was being ridiculous. Despite that, I couldn’t bring myself to stop.

I’d seen him about a dozen times since he’d told me about his father’s death, but it had only been in passing. Half those times had been while he was either bringing a woman to his apartment or kicking one out. That alone should have cleared my head and made me realize just how screwed-up my infatuation with him was, but it didn’t.

“For God’s sake, Rebecca! Are you even listening to me?” Arie glared at me from her side of my couch.

“I’m sorry. What were you saying?” I asked, forcing my thoughts away from Alec.

“This is getting ridiculous, Rebecca. Either go f*ck the dude’s brains out, or move on. I’ve never seen you like this, and I’d be lying if I said that it didn’t freak me out.”

I swallowed. “I’m sorry, Arie. I really am. I can’t help it. No matter how hard I try to force myself to forget about him, I can’t.”