my side. He gripped my hip gently and guided the lower half of me to slide neatly against him.
He was rock hard, and I wasn’t far behind. My aching hole clenched at the memory of him rocking deep inside me last night. I pulled away.
This was bad.
Very bad.
“Hey, this was a one-night thing.” I had to make that clear in case he thought it was more.
“It’s just a kiss, Charles.”
But kissing led to other things, like him and me back in bed again.
“You need to walk the dog,” I reminded him, then fumbled to get the door open. I slipped inside, my last glimpse of August one with a half smile on his face as he watched me. I closed the door and leaned against it.
I hope it’s worth it when Declan kicks you to the curb.
He wouldn’t find out. No one would. All we had to do was stick to the script.
Although a hot bath sounded like heaven, I showered instead, taking a little time to spend on my grooming. I raided Declan’s closet like I had done the other day, easily picking out his clothes from Owen’s, since his husband was taller.
I felt like the biggest scumbag having to sneak out clothes from my son’s closet while harboring this huge secret. I’d wait until August got back from walking the dog, and we would talk over breakfast. He was a great guy, easy to talk to, and there was no reason we should be uncomfortable when we’d run into each other again after this.
Back in the guest room, I put on my shoes and tried to make the bed, since August had changed the covers last night. I couldn’t get the fitted sheet on properly, though, and I gave up. I wasn’t the only one who’d slept in it. August would have to do it.
I swiped my phone and house key from the night table and unlocked the device. Sixteen missed calls from Poppy and two from Declan.
The baby.
My hand shook as I returned Poppy’s call. The phone rang off to voicemail. No response. I called the house phone as well. No response. All the calls went unanswered.
“August!” I called, running for the stairs. All I could think about was Poppy and the baby. If anything happened to her…to them, I couldn’t forgive myself.
“August!”
As though sensing my anxiety, he walked into the house with Lucky. He flashed me a smile and unbuckled the dog’s leash.
“Hey, you’re dressed. We—”
“I need to go.”
At the urgency in my voice, he let go of the dog. “What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know. It’s Poppy. She called me sixteen times between last night and this morning!”
“Calm down. Have you tried calling her back?”
He took my arm and held me steady against him.
“I did, but she’s not picking up. I don’t understand. Nobody’s picking up the house phone either. Something’s wrong, August. What if it’s the baby?”
Everything I’d endured from Poppy had all been for the baby. As much as we didn’t exactly see eye to eye, I wouldn’t wish her any harm. She might be horrible now, but given time, she might change for the better.
“Try not to think of the worst.” August hugged me tightly, and I laid my head on his shoulder.
“How can I not? Sixteen missed calls, August!”
“Did you call your driver?”
I hadn’t even considered that, feeling scattered as I was, thoughts swirling like leaves in the wind. “No, I need to call him now.”
“It’ll take him too long to get here, then drive you home. Let me grab my car keys, and I’ll take you.”
It flitted through my mind that I couldn’t have August drive me home the night after I’d stayed with him. But that was the least of my concern now.
I nodded, and he cupped my chin hard, turning my face to his. “Hey, I’ll get you home, and everything will be fine. Get Lucky back on his leash for me.”
He released me and was off toward the stairs before I could retort that he had no way of reassuring me that everything would be fine. That was what I’d told Miranda and Declan when she was just diagnosed. That sickness had made me out to be a liar.
August meant well, but he had no right to make promises that were impossible to keep. I called the dog and clipped on his leash, then scratched behind his ear for comfort. As though sensing my worry, he licked my hand and pressed his body even closer to me.