he says.
He sounds tired and looks it too. I didn’t realize how tired I am until now. I shrug through my own exhaustion.
“Nothing else to do.”
“You could have danced the night away with me,” he says and gives a crooked smile.
“John—”
He holds his hand up to halt my words. “I’ve been drinking, and I need a shower. I’ll take the pullout. You can have the bed.”
I chew on my lip. I didn’t think about the sleeping arrangements. I’ve been waiting with all intentions of getting answers and getting on a plane to head back to New York.
He pushes off the wall and moves closer. Tossing his tux jacket onto the accent chair, he then starts to release his cufflinks. The man oozes sex. Even the way he stands commands attention. As if sensing my stare fixed on him, he lifts his head.
The way his gold eyes look through his long, thick lashes sends my pulse racing. Although John is pretty, there’s something dangerous about him. A shiver rolls through me. He pulls his bottom lip between his teeth.
His eyes are distant for a moment as if he’s not looking at me but through me. When he shakes his head and mutters a curse, I swallow hard and scoot to the edge of the couch. He follows the motion with his gaze.
I don’t know where I’m going or what I plan to do. All I know is within seconds this room is charged with so much sexual tension, I can’t breathe. He clears his throat and swallows.
“Where are your things?”
“Huh?”
“Your clothes… bags?”
I rub my palms on my jeans and point to my knapsack in the corner. “I didn’t bring anything. I hadn’t planned to stay long,” I reply.
He nods. “I’ll give you something of mine to sleep in. Do you want to shower first?”
Before he can fully get the words out, I’m picturing his big body pressed to mine. He has a hold of my throat like he did in that bar. Only this time he’s squeezing tighter, longer.
Yup, I need to shower first. My panties are so wet, I think they may soak through to my jeans if I sit here any longer. I stand and almost tip over, but I play it off, wrapping my arms around my middle.
John closes the distance and cups my face, brushing a thumb across my lower lip. I lock eyes with him and hold my breath. He searches with that sharp gaze.
A smile comes to his lips, but this smile is different. It’s almost sad or… pained. Suddenly, I wish I knew how to read minds. I crave to know what he’s thinking.
“I’ve always wondered what you’d look like,” he murmurs.
“What?”
“Nothing.” He shakes his head, drops his hand, and takes a step back. “I’ll get you something to wear.”
He turns to walk away, but I reach for his arm and stop him. Turning his head, he looks over his shoulder. I part my lips, but I can’t find the words that I need to say so I release him.
Wordlessly, he turns for the bedroom and I follow like a silly little puppy. I stop in the doorway and lean against it as he goes to the closet and pulls out a dress shirt. Walking back to me, he hands me the shirt before kissing my forehead and turning to leave the room.
Those forehead kisses are going to kill me.
“Take all the time you need. I’ll wait,” he says.
I stare after him for a moment, wondering if his words could mean more. Then I realize that he’s the one that said this couldn’t happen between us. I’m not the one pulling the breaks.
You should be.
John
I flop down on the couch and drop my head into my hands. My chest is tight. She’s the one, the one I’ve been waiting for. How can this be happening and now?
When I walked into this suite to find her sitting on the couch waiting for me, I knew. All this time I’ve been wondering what she would look like, what her voice would sound like, and now… it’s all right before me. It’s her.
Yet this can’t happen. Roni has too much shit on her plate and so do I. Hell, I don’t even know how old she is. I’m assuming she’s legal, but I could totally be wrong. Most of the girls we saved weren’t over twenty.
“Fuck,” I mumble as my phone buzzes in my pocket.
I know without looking its Missy. I’m tired and frustrated. Even if Roni