Finishing up my business, I stood and washed my hands. He followed me into the bedroom, where I threw on an oversized T-shirt. I sat on the edge of the bed and watched as he pulled on his black boxer briefs, tucking away his impressive package.
I still can’t believe that thing fit insideme.
He ran a hand through his thick hair, unsure what to do next. When his eyes met mine, I knew I wasn’t ready to say goodbye. Not yet.
“Do you—” I took a moment to steel my nerves and just ask. “Do you wanna stay for a bit? It’s okay if you don’t.” I blew out a breath as my face flamed. “I’m sorry. I don’t know how these things work.”
Stepping forward, he placed a finger to my lips to silence my rambling. A slight smile curved on his handsome face. “Relax. I can stay. For a little while.”
“Okay.” I nodded, taking a cleansing breath.
He climbed onto the bed, settling his massive body in the middle, extending an arm in invitation to join him. Still slightly embarrassed that I had bordered on clinger behavior only moments ago, I turned so my back faced his front and slid in beside him.
One large paw curled around my waist, hauling me backward until our bodies were flush, and I let his heat surround me.
He kissed the back of my head and whispered, “Night, love.”
Yeah, let’s just pretend that little term of endearment doesn’t do funny things to my insides.
“Night.” The word was lost on a yawn.
With a solid wall of muscle against my back, I slipped into unconsciousness. And for the first time in months—no, years—I did so without a single thought toward Nix.
My mystery man had made good on his promise of fucking him right out of my brain.
Thank God.
A shift in the bedding roused me from the deepest sleep I’d had in ages.
I groaned into my pillow but opened my eyes the tiniest crack to find sunlight filtering through the window.
“Damn,” a sleep-roughened voice whispered. “I was trying not to wake you.”
Flashes of last night came rushing back, and suddenly, I was wide awake, sitting bolt upright in bed. My mystery man was standing by the side of the bed, pulling on his jeans.
“What time is it?” I asked.
“Little past six.” He looked mildly uncomfortable, shifting on his feet, eyes darting around the room. “I—uh—I’ve gotta get going. I’m due at work soon.”
Our time together was over.
Disappointment crashed over me, and I sunk my teeth into my lower lip to keep it from trembling. This was not me—the weepy mess after the most amazing sex I’d ever had—but being burned had changed me.
“Right. Yeah, me too,” I offered.
He threw his shirt over his head, punching both fists through the arm holes. Placing a hand on the bed, he leaned in close enough to place a soft kiss on my lips. “I had a good time last night. Who knows, maybe our paths might cross again.”
“Maybe.” I gave him a small smile.
His thumb traced a path over my lower lip, and it almost seemed like he was reluctant to leave. I fought the urge to beg for his name, to secure the possibility of seeing each other again. But I reminded myself that I cameto Indy for a fresh start, and tying myself to another man would only be a distraction. I needed to stand on my own two feet for a while. That was what was best for me, and it was long past time I put myself first.
Heaving a sigh, he pulled away. “Bye, love.”
My heart squeezed, but I forced myself to say, “Bye.”
He turned away and left my bedroom, and before long, the front door opened and shut. He was gone, and I would always wonder if things might have been different if I wasn’t such a mess when we’d met.
But there wasn’t time to dwell on the what-ifs of last night.
