“I can’t. I have plans.”
“The weekend after that we’re in San Diego. Come there.” His fingers slid down my arm. “It’ll be like old times, with twenty thousand extra people.”
I blinked. What were the chances that we’d be home at the same time? “I’ve got plans to be in SoCal then. Just me and Cary.”
“So we’ll hook up next weekend.”
“Meet up,” I corrected, standing when he did. “Are you leaving?”
He stepped closer. “Are you asking me to stay?”
“Brett …”
“Right.” He gave me a rueful smile and my heart raced a little. “We’ll see each other next weekend.”
We walked together to the door.
“Thank you for inviting me along today,” I told him, feeling oddly sorry that he was going so soon.
“I’m sorry you didn’t like the video.”
“I do like it.” I caught his hand. “I do. You did a great job with it. It’s just weird seeing myself from the outside, you know?”
“Yeah, I get it.” He cupped my cheek with his other hand and bent in for a kiss.
I turned my head and he nuzzled me instead, the tip of his nose rubbing up and down my cheek. The light scent of his cologne, mingled with the scent of his skin, teased my senses and brought back heated memories. The feel of his body standing so close to mine was achingly familiar.
I’d once had a mad crush on him. I had wanted him to feel the same way about me in return and now that he did, it was bittersweet.
Brett gripped my upper arms and groaned softly, the sound vibrating through me. “I remember how you feel,” he whispered, his voice deep and husky. “On the inside. I can’t wait to feel it again.”
I was breathing too fast. “Thank you for dinner.”
His lips curved against my cheek. “Call me. I’ll call you no matter what, but it’d be nice for you to call me sometime. Okay?”
I nodded and had to swallow before speaking. “Okay.”
He was gone a moment later and I was running to my purse for the burner phone. There was no message from Gideon. No missed call or text.
Grabbing my keys, I left my apartment and hurried to his, but it was dark and lifeless. I knew the moment I entered that he wasn’t there without having to check the artfully colored glass bowl he emptied his pockets into.
Feeling like something was very off, I headed back to my place. I dropped my keys on the counter and went to my room, heading straight for the bathroom and a shower.
The unsettled feeling in my stomach wouldn’t go away, even as I washed the stickiness and grime of the hot afternoon down the drain. I scrubbed shampoo into my scalp and thought over the day, growing angrier by the moment because Gideon was off somewhere doing whatever, instead of being home with me working things out.
And then I sensed him.
Rinsing soap out of my eyes, I turned and found him yanking off his tie as he stepped into the room. He looked tired and worn, which troubled me more than anger would have.
“Hey,” I greeted him.
He watched me as he stripped with quick, methodical movements. Magnificently na**d, he joined me in the shower, walking right into me and pulling me into a tight embrace.
“Hey,” I said again, hugging him back. “What’s the matter? Are you upset about the video?”
“I hate the video,” he said bluntly. “I should’ve screened the damn thing when I realized the song was about you.”
“I’m sorry.”