“I guess that’s kind of the point of a vacation fling.” She laughed, though it had an edge to it. “A little fun before you head back to reality.”
I stared into her eyes, trying to read them. Was that how she really felt? Was that all this was to her—a bit of fun?
“You and I both know this is more than that,” I finally said.
“What is it, then?” she asked. “Are we ‘hanging out’?”
I cringed, hating that term. Hating the fact that I’d ever described a relationship with a woman in those terms. I was right when I’d broken things off with Katie—she deserved better, more. I just wasn’t the man to give it to her. But now that I’d met Olivia, I wanted to be better. I wanted to give her everything.
I stepped closer, tucking her hair behind her ear. “No. And you’re not my fuck buddy either. What if—”
She placed her finger to my lips, silencing me. Her green eyes blinked up at me, pleading with me. “Don’t.” She shook her head. “Please don’t make this any harder than it already is.”
I swallowed back my protest and nodded. She was right. Long-distance would never work.
“What do you want?” I rasped, knowing that if I spoke, my voice would be clogged with emotion. But I’d give her anything. Anything she’d asked for—if only she’d ask me to stay.
“I want you. I want tonight. I want to remember this for what it was, not ruin it by trying to make it something it’s not.”
Somehow, she’d had the strength to say what needed to be said, even if it felt like a mistake.
Deep down, though, she was right. As much as I cared for Olivia, she deserved more. She deserved a man who would never hurt her. A man who would always put her first.
“I understand,” I finally said, my tone solemn. “Tonight.”
She nodded, and I knew that come dawn, I’d be gone. All we had left was this night, these memories.
I pressed my lips to hers, trying to communicate without words. I caressed her curves, hoping my touch would convey just how much she meant to me. I undressed her with care, knowing this would be the last time. And as I made love to her, I savored her every sigh, every moan, every delicious second.
We both knew this was goodbye, but neither of us was willing to speak the word. But it was evident in the way our lips met, her lingering touch, our shared release. When she finally slept, it was in my arms, her head resting on my chest. I lay there until the sun started its ascent, reveling in these final moments where I could pretend she was mine.
And then, knowing I had to leave, I closed my eyes and breathed her in. The smell of vanilla would be forever linked to her in my mind. I placed a kiss on her forehead and slipped out of the bed with a heavy heart.
I didn’t know if she’d thank me or hate me when she woke to find me gone, but I knew I couldn’t stay. I couldn’t face her to say goodbye. It would break me.
Yet I lingered in the doorway. She looked so peaceful, her body covered by the thin sheet, her hair splayed across the pillow, lips parted ever so slightly. I had to go, but I was unable to tear myself away.
I’d never expected this—her, any of it.
If you’d told me six months ago that I’d meet a girl online and fall for her sight unseen, I would’ve laughed. But here I was, standing at the threshold, knowing I was leaving my heart behind.
Chapter Fifteen
Olivia
I rolled over, stretching beneath the covers as I reached out for Connor. Dawn was breaking, but he wouldn’t have left yet. Not without saying goodbye. But the quiet of the house and the emptiness of the bed told me what I already knew—he was gone.
He was gone, and I wondered if I’d made a mistake… But I knew better. Long-distance would never work. I’d seen how my parents’ marriage had failed because of competing goals and schedules. I’d seen them torn apart because of loneliness, infidelity, and distance. If there was a surefire way to make a relationship fail, it was trying to carry it out from across the country.
I sat up in bed, but startled when I saw a man sitting in the chair in the corner of my room. I scrambled backward, even though there was no place to go. Clutching the covers as if they would shield me. My heart was racing, blood whooshing in my ears. My eyes darted for my phone, but it was nowhere in sight. I opened my mouth to scream, but nothing came out.
“Good morning, sweetheart,” he sneered. And it was then I noticed the gun in his hand.
I gripped the sheets, my pulse spiking at this intruder and his words. I’d never felt more vulnerable, more afraid. I was alone, in my bedroom, with a stranger who was clearly not in his right mind. And I was naked except for a pair of panties and a sheet.
“Who are you?” I asked, hating the way my voice trembled.
He shook his head. “All in good time.”
