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I nodded. Jack stopped for a beat, to throw his own look at Cal. The thoughts that radiated between the two of them were so palpable I could yank them out of the air.
And maybe Bea had been right. I was standing in the middle of two very strong, very alpha men, who both had no problem going after what they wanted.
~
In the time it took to get my measly bag of things from Cal’s to Jack’s house, he hadn’t said a word to me, and I hadn’t said a word to him either. What was I supposed to say? It was a car ride, and how did I broach the subject of the past months, about him leaving—all of it—in a handful of miles?
Truth was, I didn’t know what Jack’s response would be, and I didn’t know if I’d want to hear it anyway.
It was done.
We were done.
Had been for a while.
Yet the void was pulsing like it was a living, breathing part of my body. I ignored it. Same as I had since he left.
He unlocked his front door and ushered me inside. I tugged the strap of my small bag that held a few items of clothing and toiletries I’d purchased since the fire, up on my shoulder. All I could afford at the moment, since everything had been burned.
“Would you like something to eat?” he asked.
“I just want to go to bed.” After the accident with Bea, going to the hotel, and now back at Jack’s, it had been a long day. It was getting dark, and while it may not be overly late, I was exhausted.
He looked at me for a long moment, then finally headed up stairs and I followed. I was determined to act as a guest. Like I hadn’t crested these stairs several times. Like I hadn’t been in Jack’s arms one of the many times we’d climbed them. But I couldn’t deny that the hardwood was a welcome sight, just like his scent and the warmth of his home.
When we reached the landing of the second floor, I saw the door to his bedroom down the hall and immediately turned the opposite direction, only to be hit with the sight of his office. The door was wide open, and I could see his desk. The massive centerpiece where I’d laid when he first tasted my body all those months ago.
Shivers broke over me. Staying here was a bad idea. But I couldn’t argue safety anymore. And my choices were limited.
He took my bag off my shoulder in a quick, yet graceful maneuver, and walked towards his room.
“Ah, excuse me,” I said, bounding after him. I didn’t reach him until we were in the middle of his massive bedroom, the storm I’d once gotten caught up in. It looked exactly the same. Gray walls, white sheets on a bed that once was a cloud I lost myself in. The memory stung my eyes.
“I’d like my things back, and I’ll be staying in the guest room,” I informed him.
“You think so?” he said with a hint of amusement.
I took a deep breath and his scent engulfed me. He was standing before me. So close I could feel him, but I kept my eyes closed. Hoping that maybe he’d just fade away if I did.
“Interesting,” he said, a single finger tracing my jawline. Not reacting to his touch was an impossibility. His touch affected me. And what was worse, he knew it. “Last time you were in this room, your eyes were open the whole time…watching…” His breath hit my ear. “Do you remember, baby? Remember how you clung to me?”
My eyes shot open and met his. Harnessing all the anger I could, I whispered, “I try to forget.”
He stood to his full height and looked down at me as if assessing a challenge.
“We’ll test your memory later,” he said, then motioned toward his master bathroom. “You can shower in there if you’d like.”
I did want a shower. Especially one with hot water.
Keeping my chin held up, I grabbed my bag back from him and headed into the bathroom. Although, after the stare down with Jack, a cold shower was sounding more necessary.
Chapter 7
The shower did little to calm my nerves. I couldn’t deny the amazing scent of lavender shampoo. After taking time to scrub away the drama from the past couple weeks, I started feeling like a normal human again. I put the loofah back on the hook and…
I ran my fingers over it once more.
The pink loofah.
