“He frowned again. “Don’t you like this…being with me? Even…just a little?”

“Again…you don’t realize how attractive you are to me.”

“Our reconnection was intense and deeply emotional, like much of our relationship had been. He muttered things to me while we made love—how beautiful he thought I was, how much he’d missed me, how much he needed me, how empty he’d been, how much he loved me. I couldn’t even speak to tell him I felt the exact same way. I was too overcome by the emotion in his voice. Then he said something that tore me.“Don’t leave…I don’t want to be alone.” He had actual tears in his eyes as he looked down on me. “I don’t want to be alone, anymore.” ~Kellan”

“Do you see now, how that doesn’t work for me? I don’t want to be someone’s safety net... I don’t want to be there, simply because the idea of me being gone is too…scary.”

“Being angry with you, almost made me want you even more.”

“Clearly angry with himself, Denny shook his head. “You needed me, and I wasn’t there for you. And I’m really sorry. That was pretty shitty of me.”“Are you kidding?” Incredulous, Kellan pointed over at me. “I slept with your girlfriend…repeatedly.” I flinched, and Abby squeezed my hand a little tighter.Denny frowned. “Well, that was pretty shitty of you.”

“No, let’s make this interesting. If I win, we have sex backstage tonight. If you win, we have sex backstage tonight.”I wanted to laugh again, but the way he said sex froze my brain for a second. “Um…I don’t think you understand how betting works.”Moving in close to me, he breathed his response into my ear while he rested his hand on my stomach. “Don’t I?”