She let herself into her bedroom. Surprisingly, it was empty. She’d expected to see complete strangers in here doing the nasty. Being alone was a nice, pleasant bonus.
Shoving clothing and personal items in her suitcase, Kimber mentally prepared a speech. She’d tell Jesse that she cared about him, recommend that he find a good counselor. She’d strongly suggest he watch his back with Call and fire Ryan, who was only encouraging Jesse to be his worst. And she’d volunteer to be a part of his support system while he cleaned up his life, absolutely.
With a last look around, Kimber realized she had everything packed away.
Grabbing her toothbrush from the adjacent bathroom took care of the last task.
When she unpacked next, she supposed it would be at her dad’s place, and she’d have to explain this mess. After spending the next week or two with her dad before he jetted off to whatever assignment was next on his list, she’d return to her own apartment and figure out what to do with the rest of her life.
Sighing, she shook her head. Nothing had turned out as expected. A quick tutoring from Deke and his cousin only revealed her deep fascination for the soldier and opened her heart up wide to the man, even as he slammed his own closed against her. And her time with Jesse…yes, it had ended with the desired marriage proposal—but she no longer desired it.
Rolling her suitcase behind her, Kimber scanned the suite’s main living area. Lots of partying, no Jesse.
Traveling back down the hall, she opened the door to the main bedroom.
And stopped short with a gasp.
Ryan was thrusting into his blonde’s mouth with slow, lazy movements. She wriggled her hips from side to side, then grabbed Ryan’s c**k in her hand so she could stare over her shoulder with wide, wild eyes…
At Jesse, who knelt behind her, chugging a fifth of Jack Daniel’s—and shuttling his c**k deep in and out of her previously virgin ass with ferocity that stunned.
Oh, God. Shock washed over her. Icy. Sickening. She had to leave. Now.
Before she could turn and get the hell out, Jesse caught sight of her, pulled free of the blonde’s ass, and shoved the bottle aside with a creative string of curses.
Kimber didn’t wait to see if he was going to dress first orchase her down the hall wearing nothing but a condom.
She made it to the hall before he came at her, white bath towel around his waist, and pushed her back into her empty bedroom.
“Shit, babe. Oh, hell. I—”
“Don’t say anything.” She closed her eyes, but still kept seeing the scene in her mind.
“I’m sorry. This doesn’t mean anything. She doesn’t mean anything!” Kimber flashed ahead to her future. If she actually married Jesse, she had a feeling she’d be hearing those words a lot. And he’d actually mean them…in his way. But she couldn’t change a man who, deep down, didn’t want to give up his wild-child ways.
He’d see that when he was ready, and she could only hope that he wouldn’t hate her in the meantime.
“It does mean something.” Kimber wheeled her suitcase out the bedroom door.
“It means we weren’t meant to be and I’m leaving.”
“No. I don’t love her. I don’t even know her name! I was horny and she was available and I didn’t want to ruin you. Because you—you I need.”
“You don’t,” she countered. “What you need is to look at yourself and decide what you want your life to be. It’s best if you do that alone. Call me if you’re serious about changing yourself, and I’ll be your friend. But I won’t be your crutch, and I won’t be your wife.” She leaned in to kiss his cheek. “I’m not angry, but I have to go.
Good-bye.”
Three days later, her cell phone rang. Again. Kimber lifted her head from the couch in the family room at her dad’s house after dozing. Four o’clock in the afternoon. Wow, a whole eight minutes since the last time the phone rang. A quick peek at the caller ID revealed the name of someone she’d never heard of.
Damn it.
Shaking her head, she flipped it open. “No comment.”
“Reporters?” her dad asked as she slammed the phone shut again.
“I assume so. I don’t talk long enough to find out.”
“No one threatening has called, have they?”