I needed to break the heavy silence between us. “You’re quiet.”
His eyes met mine, something flickering in their hazel depths. “Just thinking.”
“About?”
His only answer was a shrug as he lifted our joined hands, pressing a kiss to my palm that felt far too sweet for what this was supposed to be.
I bit back a sigh as I turned to look out the window. The sprawl of Esperance came into view, houses and buildings growing larger as we approached. Even though I had no fucking clue what was going on with Jack, I had to convince myself that this was fine. We’d had an intense few days playing a role for his family. Maybe that was why things felt a little strange now that we were heading back to reality.
The plane touched down with a jolt, tires screeching against tarmac. Jack’s thumb continued its hypnotic circles against my skin as we taxied to the gate. When I tried to pull away to gather my things, his grip tightened briefly before he let me go.
Definitely weird.
The drive from the airport was more of the same. Silence punctuated only by the soft hum of the car’s engine and the classical music drifting from the sound system. Jack kept one hand on the wheel, the other resting on my thigh. Every few minutes, his fingers would flex slightly, as if making sure I was still there.
I tried to focus on the familiar scenery flashing past the window, the bare trees and gray November sky so different from the snow-covered mountains we’d left behind. Part of me wanted to break the silence again, to ask what was going on in his head, but a larger part was afraid of the answer.
This was just an arrangement, I reminded myself. Fake engagement. Mutually beneficial sex. Nothing more. The hollow feeling in my chest at the thought was just post-vacation blues, not disappointment. Definitely not.
When we pulled into my driveway, I almost sighed with relief. Emily’s car was gone, which meant I’d have some time alone to sort through the tangle of emotions I was drowning in.
Jack cut the engine and was out of the car, coming around to my side before I could blink. I couldn’t read his expression, at all, as he helped me from the car.
“I’ll grab your case.”
“Okay, thanks.”
He popped the trunk and lifted my suitcase with ease, those suit-hidden muscles flexing as he hefted it and gestured toward the house. My heart thudded painfully as I led the way up the drive, Jack’s hand at the small of my back. Heat radiated through my sweater from his touch.
My keys jingled as I struggled to fit them into the lock, my hands unsteady. Jack stood close enough behind me that I could feel his breath against my hair, the solid wall of his chest just inches from my back. I dropped the keys and swore under my breath.
“Here.” He bent to retrieve them, his body brushing against mine. When he straightened, his face was so close I could count his eyelashes. The urge to throw my arms around his neck and kiss him senseless was almost overwhelming. Instead, I took my keys from him and unlocked the front door.
What now? Say a cool goodbye? Ask him in? Ask him what the fuck was going on?
Before I could make a decision, I felt Jack’s hands on my hips, turning me around to face him. His face was still unreadable, but he bent his head and brushed a featherlight kiss across my lips. It felt unbearably sweet, making me shiver. Oh, was this goodbye?
“I need to go out of town for a little while.”
So it was goodbye. I tried to hide the emotion that surged through me. Tried to act nonchalant.
“Oh. I didn’t know. You didn’t say.”
He brushed his thumb across my bottom lip. “It only just came up. There are some things I need to take care of.”
“Sounds important.”
“It is. Very important.”
“Well, good luck with it, then.”
“We’ll talk when I get back.”
My stomach dropped. “That sounds ominous.”
“It’s not,” he assured me, his hand cupping my cheek. “I promise, everything’s okay. I just have some things I need to do, like I said.”
Before I could ask anything else, his mouth was on mine, hot and desperate, like he was trying to memorize the feel of me. I responded instantly, my body arching into his as his arms wrapped around me, pulling me tight against him.
