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I paused. “I can’t tell you.”
She snickered. “Of course not.”
“Rae, it’s not like--Rae?”
She shot up from the couch and rolled her eyes. She let out a huff of a sigh before picking up her tea mug. She wiped at her thigh, like she couldn't stand the heat of my residual touch. And it was an action that made my heart sink even further into my legs. I watched her as she rounded into the kitchen. She washed out her mug before drying it off. Then her eyes hooked with mine as she picked up a piece of newspaper.
She held my stare while wrapping it up.
And it wasn’t until she placed it in a box that her eyes fell away.
“Rae, come on.”
She shook her head. “I’m going to bed. I’m exhausted.”
I stood up. “Rae, please. Can we just talk about this?”
Her eyes filled with fire as she turned on me.
“This is our last night in this place. Don't you get that? Our very last night. We’ve spent years in this place together, Clint. The things these walls have seen? The things they’ve witnessed? The things they’ve heard? It’s all here. And all I wanted was to spend it with you. That’s it. You told me ninety minutes. An hour and a half. And look at you! Strolling in four hours later with inedible food in tow, for what? An apology? Me jumping into your arms and rejoicing that my big, strong man is finally home?”
I snickered. “You know damn good and well that’s never what I’d expect of you.”
“So what do you want me to do right now, Clint? Huh? Act like you aren’t four hours late? Act like you're just fine? Act like you haven’t been ditching me every fucking weekend for the past two months and coming home later and later than promised? I thought this was important to you, too. Just this one night.”
“It is, Rae. I’m telling you, just--”
“Well, it doesn’t feel like it.”
Just tell her about the damn surprise. It’s not worth all this.
“What if I make us a fresh dinner? I think we’ve got some noodles still in the pantry,” I said.
“Packed that up, too. I kept enough out for coffee and toast in the morning. Help yourself,” she said.
Fucking hell, she thought of everything tonight.
I fought with my mind. If I just told her, this would all go away. But then I’d ruin the surprise Mike and I had sunk endless hours into for the past eight weeks. Maybe that was for the best, though. Surprising her with it tonight. I could take her over to the house. We could pick up something on the way there and have a late dinner at our new place. Just the two of us.
And that carpet’s all nice and fluffy now.
“I’m going to bed. Enjoy your night,” Rae said.
I rushed for her and took her hand within mine. She paused in the hallway, but she didn’t turn to face me. As odd as it was, this was one of those things I loved about Rae. Even when she couldn't stand to look at me, she always held my hand. She always let me know, with that one simple gesture, that she was still there. Still hanging on.
Even if she was upset.
“I’m not blowing you off like you think I am.”
She sighed. “Where were you tonight? Because that’s what it feels like you’ve done.”
“I promise you, that’s not what’s happening. Look at me, Rae.”
She shook her head, but I insisted.
“Please? Just for a few seconds.”
She sighed as she turned to face me. And I noticed a glow about her cheeks. Her damp hair framed her gorgeous face and her skin was full of color and life. She had this aura about her that dragged me in. Every time she looked at me, she dragged me in. But something was different.
