Bad for You (Sea Breeze #7)(35)

“Important! Really! You f**ked me like a wild man in your bed just two hours ago, and now you’re running off because she’s crying?”

Closing my eyes, I gripped the steering wheel tightly to keep from reaching out the window and strangling her. That was not what I wanted Blythe to hear. I got the hell away from Britt and her loud mouth. She used to be easy. Now she was a pain in my ass. Today was the last time I’d take her to my bed. It was a massive mistake to begin with.

“I’m sorry about her,” I said, hating that I even had to bring her up around Blythe.

“Don’t. It’s okay.” She sniffed, and I glanced over at her to see her wiping her face with both her palms. “You shouldn’t be leaving, Krit. It’s your niece’s birthday party,” she said softly. “I just ruin everything.” The pain in her words were my doing.

“Do not ever, ever, say that again. Do you understand me? Don’t ever.” I swallowed hard and took a deep breath. I had to gain control of my emotions. “You make everything better. Why can’t you see that? Who f**ked your head up so bad that you can’t see how amazing you are? And Goddamn it, Blythe, you’re unbelievably gorgeous, and you don’t know that, either. How is that even possible, love? You have a mirror. You can see that your outside package is just as beautiful as your inside. It shouldn’t be possible for you to be so damn blind when it comes to yourself.”

She didn’t say anything. I glanced over at her, and she was staring at me like I had lost my mind. Her eyes were wide and confused. The red-rimmed swollen puffiness even looked adorable on her. Did she even have to be a pretty crier? Damn it, I needed her to have a fault. Anything. Something to put me on a more even playing field with her.

“Fuck, you’re even perfect when you’re eyes are swollen. Ain’t fair, love. How do I deal with that? Hmmm?” I turned back to the road and focused on getting us to the apartment. I needed to get a washcloth and clean her tear-streaked face. Then I needed to hold her. I wanted to hear her laugh. Right now I would settle for a smile. Anything other than that hurt look in her eyes.

When I had stepped out of Britt’s Camaro, and Blythe had been there staring at me with a panicked look on her face, I hadn’t been prepared for that. I was frustrated that I hadn’t had time for Britt to take me back to the apartment so I could get my bike. She’d had to come with me, and that frustration multiplied when I saw Blythe looking at Britt.

I didn’t want her near Britt. Britt was a part of my life I didn’t like Blythe to see. Blythe was the good part of my life, and Britt was part of the darkness I didn’t want touching Blythe. That all hit me at once, and I hadn’t handled Blythe correctly. She assumed she was completely to blame. For what? Coming to a party my sister had invited her to? How did Blythe get into her head that she was wrong for that? I was the jackass, and Amanda and my sister were in complete agreement.

Blythe had picked up on their anger toward me and rode in like my avenging angel to make sure no one blamed me. She wasn’t going to let them attack me in anyway. Even though I deserved it. I had gone to the party intent on getting Blythe and fixing the mess outside. But then she had gone from her typical shy nature to standing up in a roomful of people she didn’t know that well. Blythe defended me with a look on her face that blatantly dared anyone to argue the fact that I was innocent.

No one in my life had ever done that. Not even my sister. I was positive at that moment, when my sweet quiet Blythe was loudly telling a room of people who knew better that I was a nice guy who was treated unfairly, that I would follow her off the edge of a cliff if she asked me to.

I pulled into her parking spot under the apartments and quickly got out of the car and went around to get her. She had already started to get out, but I grabbed her hand and pulled her close to me. Then I locked the car before tucking her keys into my pocket.

“Come on,” I said gently, and threaded my hand through hers. She wasn’t as stiff as before, but she wasn’t warming up to me either. She let me hold her hand, but she kept her distance.

When we got to her door, I pulled out her keys and unlocked it, then I went inside, taking her with me. I went directly to the sofa and sat down while bringing her with me and tucking her into my lap. I wrapped both of my arms around her. I bent my head and rested it in the curve of her neck and throat, and inhaled her sweet scent.

I was completely obsessed with her. Addicted wasn’t a strong enough word. She had surpassed my addictive tendencies, and I was full-blown obsessed. There was nothing I wouldn’t do for her. All she had to do was ask. I would give anything up just to get to hold her like this again.

“Krit,” she said in a quiet voice.

“Yeah?” I wasn’t ready to stop smelling her yet. My lips were pressed against her soft skin, and I liked having them there.

“You have to go. You have to sing tonight,” she reminded me.

I had forgotten. I had never forgotten about a gig before, but tonight it was the last thing on my mind. There wasn’t any room for anything other than Blythe. Sighing, I leaned back, and with one hand dug my phone out of my pocket. With the other hand, I held onto her for fear she’d get up and leave me.

I pressed Green’s number.

“Tell Daisy May I said happy birthday,” Green said into the phone. “And now get your ass here.”

“I’m not coming tonight,” I told him, lifting my eyes to lock on Blythe’s.