Hollywood Triplets - Layla Valentine Page 0,30

beneath her sundress. It was impossible to concentrate on what she was trying to say with his eyes and fingertips tracing over the contours of her body.

“It’s hard to get a sub,” she murmured, leaning into his touch. “I won’t be able to get one. Besides, the kids need consistency. They need to know their teacher will be there for them.”

Curt sighed. “You’re really dedicated to your work,” he said.

“I wish I could stay,” she said regretfully. “I know I’ll miss you. But I have to get back.”

“Then I suppose I have to let you,” Curt sighed. “I wish you could stay too, though.”

“Let’s make the most of tonight,” Annalise said quietly. “We have hours left until my flight. We shouldn’t waste them.”

He nodded. Then, to her surprise, he got to his feet, lifting her up with him. She gasped at his strength.

“The bed,” he said. His voice was hoarse. “Once we start, I’m not going to want to stop.”

Annalise didn’t argue. She felt exactly the same way.

That night was one she knew she would remember forever. They spent hours wrapped up in each other, moving together.

Sometimes their pace was frenetic, their shared desire and desperation driving them to pull one another closer and closer, deeper and deeper, until Annalise was no longer sure where she ended and he began.

At other times, they were nearly still, gazing into each other’s eyes, fingertips tracing over one another’s skin. During those stretches of time, Annalise imagined that she could feel his heart beating, and that hers was beating in time. Their breathing synced up.

They held still for as long as they could, almost as if they were testing themselves.

Then, inevitably, someone’s hips would twitch, and someone would respond with a gasp or a moan or a hand to pull them closer together, and the cycle would begin again.

By the time the sun came through the window, they lay quiet in each other’s arms, drenched in sweat, and Annalise thought she had never been more satisfied, more fulfilled, in all her life.

God, please let this last, she thought, searching his face. I can’t stand to lose him now.

It was a relief, in a way, that Curt had to go to work. That he couldn’t take her to the airport. Annalise didn’t know if she would have had the strength to board the plane if he had.

As it was, she rode with James again, and thanked him as he unloaded her suitcase onto the tarmac.

“You’ve been really helpful,” she told him, handing back the key to her bungalow—he had offered to take responsibility for checking her out. “I really appreciate everything, James.”

“Happy to be of service,” he said, inclining his head.

For a moment, she wondered what he must think. Had Curt told him who she was? Was James aware that he was seeing somebody despite the terms laid out in his contract?

He must be very trustworthy.

She was glad Curt had someone like that in his life—someone he could trust with a secret. As exciting as it was to be sneaking around, she wanted him to be able to talk about the things that were happening in his life. It was always good to have a confidant.

She boarded the plane, took her seat, and accepted the glass of ice water that was offered.

And as she gazed out the window at the Costa Rican landscape for the final time, she realized she was being unfair.

She was being unfair to herself, and she was being unfair to Janette.

If it’s good for Curt to have a confidant, it’s good for me to have one too, she thought. I should tell Janette what’s been going on with us. I should tell her our relationship has turned physical.

She didn’t know exactly why she was hesitant to talk about it. Even now, having reasoned to herself that Curt was confiding in someone, she felt unsure of whether it was the right thing to do.

This is silly. Janette will be happy for me. She’s been encouraging me to try it for a long time.

And yet…

Something didn’t feel right.

It felt as if, by telling Janette the truth, she would be doing something wrong. Betraying some kind of trust.

Well, that’s just ridiculous! Curt asked that we keep this quiet, but he never meant that I couldn’t tell my own twin sister.

If she had believed that that was something Curt had wanted, she wouldn’t have agreed to it. Romance was great, but there was no man important enough that Annalise would allow him to cause