shut, squeezed back that thought. They deserved this moment, this pleasure and relief, the feeling of being understood, loved, the feeling of home.
I get to have this. We both do. No regrets.
What about tomorrow? And the day after that? If they worked at it, could they get past the pain they’d caused each other? Could they start fresh?
She felt so right in his arms; she didn’t want it to ever be wrong.
* * *
A HALF HOUR LATER, Dylan balled up the last cupcake wrapper and tossed it onto the nightstand before settling back around Tara. Against all odds, he had her in his bed. He tucked her more firmly against his chest, one hand on her breast, breathing in her smell, feeling every inch of her body against every inch of his. He hadn’t been wrong about how good they’d been together. Now he felt fully alive, fully awake for the first time in years.
Now what?
He’d been so clear before that being with her would only arouse impossible hopes. Their relationship was a dead-end. A dead-end wrapped in pain.
But they loved each other. That had been important. And making love had been healing. Could they end it with that? Stop now? Let that be enough?
Who was he kidding? He’d never get enough of her. He pushed away the thought. For now, he had her in his arms. He would enjoy that for all it was worth. He’d deal with tomorrow tomorrow.
He woke to Duster licking his face, the smell of Tara in his bed and a note: Gone to see Faye. Thank you for last night. I’ll call from Wharton. Tara.
Thank you for last night? Like he’d done her a favor? Damn.
At least he didn’t have to wonder whether they’d be together again tonight. Clearly that was that.
His cell phone rang. It was her.
“Faye’s back in her room, Dylan. She’s stable again. It’s such a relief. You have no idea how much better I feel.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” he said, his anger fading in the face of her delight.
“Me, too. I can breathe again. And think. I’m on my way to Wharton to set up that field trip to Ryland. Let your guys know, okay?”
“Okay...”
“Is something wrong? Was my note too terse? I didn’t mean it to be.”
“No. It was fine.” He sighed. He couldn’t be angry at her. She didn’t know how to handle this any better than he did. They’d figure it out together.
“So, can we meet for lunch and talk?” she asked.
He thought through his day and realized it wasn’t possible. “I’m sorry. I have a meeting.” He had to convince Troy Waller not to run for mayor, to wait for Dylan to hire him. The man seemed to doubt Dylan’s commitment to his plan.
“Oh. Then...supper?”
This was the day he usually stayed late to go over production figures before he met with Victor and his father in the morning, but he didn’t want to disappoint Tara again. “Sure. Supper at my house.” He’d throw together spaghetti. He owed them both that much. And after supper? Would she stay the night? He’d see if she brought a suitcase.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
TARA BLEW OUT A BREATH. It was 6:00 p.m. She needed to get over to Dylan’s for the dinner he’d offered to make her. Her main accomplishment today had been to convince Jeb Harris to take a crew to Ryland Engineering the next morning for a field trip.
She’d coordinated with Dylan, who’d sounded mildly hopeful, though it was hard to tell after that awkward phone call in the morning. She hadn’t been able to figure out what to say in her note about their night together, so she’d been breezy and Dylan had sounded hesitant.
They’d had reasons to be together last night, but now? Did they dare continue? The very fact she was so freaked out told her they should back off. Maybe you never got over the pain of the past. Her mother certainly wasn’t willing to, and maybe Tara was kidding herself that it was possible for her and Dylan.
Where could a relationship between them go, anyway? She’d leave and he’d stay. Long-distance romances were hopeless. She never wanted to feel the hurt of their first breakup again, so why prolong the end and risk more hurt?
As she headed down the hall, she noticed Joseph’s office light was on. He’d come in at noon, after spending the night at the hospital with Faye.