Secret Plunge - Jasmin Miller Page 0,41

push on my elbows to look at him. "I'm afraid so. For now at least. Maybe you want to show me that fancy bathroom of yours?"

"I'd love to."

But neither one of us moves. Instead, I trace his dark eyebrows, slide down his straight nose, swipe over his swollen lips.

His eyes flare with renewed lust as he closes the distance between us, hovering a breath away from my mouth. "Maybe we should check out that bathroom now, so I can show you again how much I've missed you."

After another round of phenomenal sex in the shower, we both cozy up on the couch in our plush hotel robes, waiting for room service to arrive.

Ryan pulls me into his side, playing with a strand of my hair. "You have your normal doctor's appointment Wednesday, right?"

"Yeah." I grab his free hand and play with his fingers, a sullen mood clouding my happiness. "When will you fly back?"

"Sunday."

"So soon." In two days.

"I know." He presses a lingering kiss to the top of my head. "My coach would have my ass if I took off more time. He's already not happy with me for leaving anyway. He’s very strict when it comes to our training schedules."

A snowstorm couldn't have frozen my insides more than his comment did.

I can't do this anymore. I've been able to push down the guilt but it keeps bubbling up, eating more at me every time. "Ryan, I . . . there's something I need to tell you."

"Okay."

I open my mouth just as there's a knock on the door.

Ryan gets up. "Hold that thought."

He walks to the door, talking to the hotel employee. After signing the receipt, he grabs the cart and pushes it inside the room, the door closing quietly behind him.

When he sees me still sitting on the couch, he looks at me. "You want to eat on the couch?"

I stare at him, my insides paralyzed at the thought of telling him about my dad.

I had everything planned out. Where I’d go to see him and come clean before anything else happens between us, because I knew it would complicate things further if I didn’t. But it’s too late for that now.

Things already are more complicated. The intimacy between us has clouded my mind. Made me more afraid to lose this—us—after I've had this wonderful time with him.

Ryan's still waiting for an answer, so I shake my head. "We can eat at the table."

"Everything okay?"

I nod.

"What did you want to tell me?"

My limbs tingle as a surge of dizziness attacks my body. I can't do it. This is only going to get worse. I swallow, nausea threatening to make me sick. "It . . . it was nothing. Let's eat."

"Okay." He looks at me, his expression somber.

Does he know something's up? For now, he's not pressing the issue, and I'm grateful for it. I need to figure out how and when it’s best to tell him. Until then, I'm going to enjoy the short amount of time I have with him.

We eat in silence. Ryan digs into his rice and chicken dish, while I swirl spaghetti around my fork.

Ryan takes a sip of his water and regards me. "Did you have any plans for today that I crashed?"

I shake my head. "Not really. I finished my work for the week yesterday. I was just going to go shopping before the weekend rush, but I can do that another time. No worries."

"No, let's do it together. I don't mind." Then he gives me a crooked smile and my heart skips a beat. "I'm due for my weekly visit to the fruit aisle today or tomorrow anyway since I'll be traveling Sunday."

“Okay.” How can I say no to anything he says when he looks at me like that?

“Everything still going well with your new job?”

Thank goodness for the topic change. And a good one too.

Despite my gloomy mood, I smile. “Yes. I’m really enjoying it. I’ve never been creative enough to write stories myself, but I enjoy all the behind-the-scenes work and the interaction with the authors and the publishing house.”

I started my new job last week after settling all the details with Tara and the HR person at her company. It’s part-time for now but Tara said that could always change if things go well. At this point, it’s perfect, especially since I don’t have to pay rent.

“I’m glad. I know the job situation has been hard on you.”

“Yeah. I’m still trying to figure out what to do, I guess.