Chapter Twenty Five

"You know, I understand that you might be too rich to know this, but there's something called a taxi"

He didn't seem amused by her joke… "Chloe…"

She shook her head. "I planned on drinking tonight.. Maybe not a lot... But I planned to have a few drinks and I didn't want to drive under the influence. I was going to take a taxi home"

The frown didn't leave his face. "Okay, so what if for some reason, you were unable to get a taxi. What would you have done?"

Chloe didn't understand why he was getting so worked up, but she decided that it was fun and it would even be more fun to tease him further, so she said, "Well, I would have just stood around somewhere and hoped to get a ride from a nice, sweet, gentleman. You'd be surprised how many men would be willing to help a damsel in distress"

Timothy knew that she was joking, but he still didn't like the idea of her standing by the road and getting a ride from God knows who. He couldn't imagine her alone with any man but him and the realization both shocked and angered him. He needed to put some distance between them before things went completely out of hand. Get his thoughts and feelings straight and there was no way he would be able to do that if he was around her. The earlier he moved away from her, the better.

"Let me just take you home" he said, and before she could reply, he began to head to where his car was parked.

Chloe followed him silently, but she didn't want them to leave without talking. She had a feeling that if they didn't talk now, there wouldn't be another chance to see him outside of work, and she had a lot she wanted to say to him.

"I want another truth, Timothy" she said suddenly when they got to his car.

"You said you didn't want to talk anymore, remember?" he said without turning to face her.

"I know what I said"

His lips tightened but he didn't forestall her. Just turned to face her and fixed those signature piercing dark eyes that had the uncanny ability to sink hooks into her , and waited her out.

"Why did you do it? Cut me off like that. Was it that easy for you?" she asked.

His tension grew. "You know damn well why I did, so don't ask me. And you know it wasn't easy either. Because you threw away all our plans and decided to leave without considering how it would make me feel. Because I was your friend...."

"My boyfriend" Chloe cut in, unable to let him finish. Unable to hide the fact that although it had been a long time ago, she had carried this hurt somewhere inside of her, and seeing him again had unleashed these feelings somehow. "You were my best friend too. A best friend who never bothered to listen or understand. A friend who pushed me away without any thought... Without trying to understand me and why I felt like I had to do what I did."

"Right, so I'm a mannerless bastard. I accept. I'm sure you'll find it within that over-generous heart of yours to forgive me at some point." Timothy said sarcastically.

"Oh, please. I never called you a bastard. You don't give a rat's arse whether I forgive you or not. And what's that supposed to mean, over-generous?"

He shrugged again. "You were always giving to a fault. And very early on in our relationship I remember you pointing out to me that we balanced each other out because I was selfish to a fault. It stands to reason that you'll forgive me for any atrocities, no?"

His words hurt, but she wouldn't let him intimidate her. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction. "People change, Tim." she said, as she tried to stop her voice from breaking. "I'm not that gullible person you think me to be any more."

He frowned, then pointed an index finger at her. "I never said you were gullible. Don't put words in my mouth. And stop calling me Tim for God's sake. It's Timothy"

Chloe sighed. "You don't have to spell it out-"

"No, Chloe, don't do that. Don't put words in my mouth. You know I'd have no problem calling you gullible if I thought you were"

"Well, I don't forgive you, then, and I won't. My generosity doesn't stretch to making allowances for you being selfish and then blaming me for it"

"Look at you.... Playing the victim... As if you didn't do exactly the same thing. When you decided to leave, were you thinking about me or just yourself? You have no right to call me selfish"

His sneer cut her sharp and deep. And yet she couldn't scream the answer that should've come readily to her. Because she knew that he was right. The reminder both hurt and angered her now. And justified or not, some part of her held Timothy responsible for it. He'd been her crutch until she'd needed him most.

Then he'd simply...walked away.

His hands fisted, as if willing himself not to grab her. "Don't make me say things I don't want to say tonight, Chloe." his voice was low and the statement sounded like a plea as well as a warning.

"Say whatever you want to say,... Timothy" she retorted, placing emphasis on his name since he'd asked her not to call him Tim. "You have treated me like crap since you saw me so don't pick now to be a damned gentleman and spare me from whatever it is you're too afraid to spit out!"

She knew taunting him was dangerous. He had changed. They both had. He no longer even tried to mask his feelings behind dry, acerbic wit. When his eyes met hers, she knew whatever was coming would be unvarnished. But still she held his gaze, daring him with hers. His face turned hard and bleak but no less breathtaking for its austerity. A moment later, his hand lifted to capture her chin in his hand.

Chloe's tongue slid out almost of its own accord and she licked her lower lip. His gaze followed the slow, languorous movement with eyes that grew steadily heated. After a moment when words failed to form in her throat, his eyes rose to capture hers.