Rowan’s finger hovered over the last unread message. Hugh. Oh God. Rowan took a deep, shaky breath, let it out slowly, and opened the message.
Agree to see me tonight. Come to my place for drinks. You owe me.
Who in the hell was this new Hugh? Hugh 1.0 would never ask her over. Hugh 1.0 wouldn’t have freely touched her body or put his lips to her skin either. What in the hell was he playing at? Her fingers hovered over the keypad. Agree or not? While Rowan thought about big girl issues like dating two men and the consequences, she propped herself up against the headboard and pulled her laptop close. She found the paper’s Social Edition.
“Oh wow.” She and Will were in several at the Philbrook charity. They looked good together. “Oh my.” A photographer had gotten a closeup picture of Will leaning over her at their table. She was smiling as his lips touched hers. It had been a soft, sweet kiss. This picture made it look as though they were in love. Groaning, no wonder her sisters were so eager for her call.
Raven had mentioned a picture taken after the charity. Rowan clicked through the rest of the museum pictures before searching the main Social Edition page.
Stanton Tech Heir in Love. The bold description sat directly above a picture of her and Will kissing in the hotel lobby. Oh God, Oh God. Oh God. This was the reason her sisters wanted to talk to her, not the charity photos.
Matilda would see them as soon as she got up. Diana Gaines was an early riser. She would already have seen them, which means she would show Owen and Will when they visited herbefore they left town.Staton Tech Heir in Love. Christ Almighty, Hugh would see them.
Maybe he wouldn’t see them. He didn’t seem like a social media troller. Unless his sons tipped him off. She needed to call her sisters immediately and headthatoff.
She also needed to reply to Hugh’s text from last night.
What do I owe you for?
Bubbles appeared immediately.I stayed hard for hours.
That mental picture dragged a moan from Rowan’s throat. It amazed Rowan how comfortable she was with sexual discourse when it was with Hugh. They’d never even kissed, but they’d trusted each other to witness vulnerable moments.
Hugh knew her body and she knew his. Rowan would trust him with more than watching. She always had. He hadn’t trusted her. Rowan kept asking herself the same question: What had changed?
She tapped her chin thoughtfully. Agree or not? Rowan could not let the image of Hugh’s erection cloud her judgment.
How did you get it to go away?
You know how.
Christ have mercy. Lord have mercy. Pray for this sinner, Lord.Unfortunately, praying didn’t stop her fingers from typing.
You’ll only run. Why would I open myself to that? Again.
Bubbles for minutes. Hugh was either typing a novel or deleting and repeating.
I’ll never run again. Give me one more chance. I want to explain.
There could only be one response. Rowan wanted answers. She hoped Hugh didn’t let her down.Okay.
7. I’ll have fruit, veg, and Slane.
She was in the deep end now. No returning to the ledge. The last hurdle before she faced the day—a call to her sistersand maybe telling...probably telling them what kind of deep shit storm she’d willingly walked into.
They answered on the first ring.
“What’s going on?” Raven asked.
“Spill,” River demanded.
“The long or short”
“Long.” Raven.
“Short.” River.
“Medium it is,” Rowan sighed. “Prepare yourselves. I had thought not to tell you everything, but I need your input and you have to know it all.” Rowan swallowed her embarrassment and told her sisters a PG version of her and Hugh’s previous sexual encounters. His rejection. His multiple rejections. Raven and River had witnessed the one in the hospital room.
