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Marin needed to keep that at the forefront of her mind. She could give herself over to this affair but not like that. She couldn’t plant false hope and let it grow into something that would only die from lack of light when the sun set on this relationship.
“What time is your brother supposed to be home tonight?” Donovan asked, glancing her way.
“He should get in around four.”
“Okay.” He looked back to the road.
“Why?”
His lips quirked like an afterthought. “Just making my devious plans and I like to know the schedule.”
She sniffed. “Is that going to be enough time for all your depravity? I could text him and tell him that he shouldn’t expect me until morning.” She winced slightly when she realized how presumptuous that sounded. “I mean, not that you’d want me to— Never mind.”
His jaw tightened along with his grip on her hand. “I’d love for you to stay the night.”
The words sounded genuine, but it cost him something to make the offer. She could tell by the lines that appeared around his mouth, almost like he’d wanted to keep the words in. “You sure? You don’t have to feel obligated or whatever.”
He looked over at her. When she sent him a no-big-deal shrug, his expression softened around the edges. “Obligated to do unspeakable things to you all night and then sleep in on a Sunday morning with a beautiful, naked you next to me? Yes, sounds horrid. I can’t believe you’d suggest such agony.”
She looked down, her lips curving on their own volition. “Yeah, sounds awful.”
“Text him. We’re almost there. You won’t have time for your phone after that.”
The small warning zipped through her, lighting up things she’d barely dimmed with the relief of her earlier orgasm. She reluctantly slipped her hand from his and fished her phone out of her bag. But when she pulled up the messaging screen, reality wedged its way in.
She’d made the offer because she wanted to spend the night with Donovan, but she hadn’t thought through the fact that it would mean telling Nate outright that she was staying overnight with a guy—after only two weeks here. She considered lying. That would be easiest—too tired to drive home, getting a room, whatever. But she’d built her relationship with Nate on being straightforward and honest. She couldn’t bring herself to fib.
She sighed and typed out a message.
Marin: Not going to be home til morning. Text me when u get in to let me know ur safe and remember to lock up.
The message went through, and she had a pang of anxiety. It was her brother, but in a lot of ways she felt like she was texting her kid, Hey there, son, Mom’s about to get laid!
The response took a while to come through since he was probably busy working, but after a few minutes, her phone dinged.
Nate: Srsly? Just friends. Yeah. OK.
Marin grimaced. She could hear Nathan’s irritated, judgy tone even through words on a screen. But she had her own surge of irritation to match it. Really? He was going to be angry with her over a night out? How long had she put her own life aside to be the responsible one, to be the grown-up? She never resented Nate or regretted the choice she’d made to raise him, but hadn’t she earned a little adventure? She would not let herself feel guilty about this. Would. Not.
Marin: It’s not Lane. Old friend. Long story.
The little dots indicating a response being typed seemed to shine on the screen forever. But when the message came up, it was short. Like he’d deleted a whole lot more.
Nate: Whatever. See u tomorrow.
Marin exhaled loudly and didn’t bother typing a response. She had no doubt she’d get an earful tomorrow—or more likely, the silent treatment. She tossed her phone back in her purse.
Donovan sent a lifted eyebrow her way. “Everything okay?”
“It’s fine. Nate’s just in a shit mood. This whole move has been a big transition, and he’s taking it out on me. He’ll be all right.”
“You want to call him?”
She shook her head. “We won’t get anywhere. It’s best to just let him cool off. I’ll talk to him about it when I get home tomorrow. Right now I’ll let him think what he wants.”
Donovan sniffed. “Which is?”
“That I’m some sex-crazed woman who’s jumping in bed with a stranger.”
