Page 38 of One Reckless Night

16

AMELIA

Iwas up at the crack of dawn. At first, I was completely disorientated. Where the hell was I?

Then I remembered the night before.

The storm, the wine, the conversation. And the kiss. That damn moment in the lab. I couldn’t stop thinking about it, about him, and it was driving me insane.

Even though nothing happened last night, I was still feeling ashamed. I didn’t want to see him as I snuck out. I wanted to make a grand escape and hopefully not have to look him in the eyes for a few days. I was not embarrassed that I was terrified in the storm last night.

But I wasn’t not embarrassed.

I crept through the house, careful not to make a sound. Jared’s bedroom door was still closed. My heart was pounding as I tiptoed downstairs, my bare feet silent on the polished wood floors. I found my clothes in the dryer and quickly changed out of the borrowed shirt and sweats. I didn’t dare toss the clothes into the washer. I was certain he had a way of doing things, and I didn’t want to mess with that.

I slipped out the front door. The humid air hit me like a slap. The storm had passed, leaving the world feeling heavy and very wet.

I started the walk back to campus. It was only a quarter mile along the beach, but it felt like an eternity. I noticed the beach was littered with driftwood and seaweed, more evidence of the storm’s wrath. I felt like I was on a walk of shame, even though nothing had happened.

I was so lost in thought that I didn’t notice Clair until she was right in front of me. She was out for her morning run, her hair pulled back in a ponytail, her face flushed with exertion. She stopped when she saw me, her eyes widening in surprise.

“Amelia?” she said, her voice tinged with disbelief. “What are you doing out here so early?”

I froze, my mind scrambling for an excuse. “Uh, just… um, taking a walk. Clearing my head.”

Clair raised an eyebrow, her expression skeptical. “A walk? In your pajamas? At dawn? Coming from Jared’s house?”

I looked down at myself, realizing too late I was wearing my pajamas. My cheeks burned. I knew there was no way to talk my way out of this. “Okay, fine. I was there. But it’s not what you think!”

Clair’s eyes widened, and she let out a squeal of excitement. “Oh my God, Amelia! Tell me everything!”

I groaned, shaking my head. “Nothing happened, Clair. I swear it wasn’t like that. The power went out at my place, and I got scared, so I went to the lab. Jared found me there and insisted I stay at his house. That’s it.”

Clair crossed her arms, her expression skeptical. “That’s it? You expect me to believe that?”

“Yes, because it’s the truth.”

“Amelia, I have eyeballs. You two have the hots for each other. The chemistry between you absolutely sizzles.”

I sighed, knowing there was no way to avoid this. “Okay, fine. We… kissed. Once. In the lab. But it was a mistake, and it’s not going to happen again. Last night was innocent. He took pity on me. I’ve never been in a storm quite like that and I’ll admit I was a little nervous. I was going to stay the night in the lab. It was far quieter, but he insisted I go to his house.”

Clair’s eyes lit up, and she grabbed my arm, pulling me toward the residential area. “Oh, no. You’re not getting off that easy. You’re coming back to my place, and you’re telling me everything.”

I tried to protest, but Clair was relentless. She dragged me back to her condo. My phone was ringing off the hook in my purse, but I ignored it, too focused on trying to convince Clair that nothing had happened. She wasn’t buying it.

“Come on, Amelia,” she said, plopping down on the couch. “Spill. What’s he like? Is he as intense at home as he is at work? I’ve always wondered what the pull was. I mean, I know he’s attractive, but I have never felt like I wanted to kiss him. He’s like a big brother.”

I groaned, running a hand over my hair that was completely rebelling in the humidity. “Clair, I’m serious. Nothing happened. It was just… a moment. A stupid moment.”

Clair rolled her eyes, clearly not convinced. “Uh-huh. Sure. And I’m the Queen of England.”

My phone rang again. Clair reached for my phone before I could stop her. Her eyes lighting up with a silly grin. “It’s Jared! He’s calling to profess his undying love!”

“Stop,” I groaned.

I lunged for the phone, but Clair held it out of reach, answering it with a grin. “Hello, Dr. Welch. What can I do for you?”

I froze, my heart pounding as I listened to Clair’s side of the conversation. Her expression shifted from playful to serious. She handed me the phone without a word. “It’s not Jared,” she said, her voice soft. “It’s someone else.”