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For a second she wasn’t sure what question he was answering. The response seemed so vague and so dull. One of those things men said while walking out the door even though they never planned on calling again.
And she couldn’t wrap her head around that at all. They sparked in the bedroom and worked everywhere else. When she gave him a peek into her feelings, he seemed to agree. Now she was getting the “we’ll see” type of response.
She had to get out of the bed. An hour ago she would have said she’d stay in those sheets with him for days if he’d just ask. But that was the problem. He never asked. He probably never would.
With the sheet held tight against her breasts, she swung her legs over the side and looked around for a shirt. She snagged his T-shirt and slipped it over her head. Feeling more in control and less ready to be sucker punched, she stood up.
He tugged on the sheet and it fell loose from her body. “Where are you going?”
“Food.” That was all she could get out.
Words crammed in her throat and she tried to swallow them back. Part of her knew this reaction wasn’t fair. They hadn’t made promises or had a deal. She was trying to drag them into something serious, and he didn’t do serious. Shane had told her that.
“Wait a second.” Holt sat up the whole way this time. “Did I say something?”
“Nothing.” That was the point.
“Lindsey.”
The pleading in his tone had her spinning around in the doorway to face him. She thought about saying something clever or making a joke. Anything to ease the tension.
“I’ve fallen for you.” Not at all what she wanted to say. Embarrassment welled inside her, and her stomach did this strange bouncing thing. But she couldn’t take it back now. Really didn’t want to, because it was true.
He smiled at her, all warm and sexy-like. “I like you, too.”
They were not saying the same thing, and the reality of that difference slammed into her like being hit with a bat. Yeah, they were not saying the same thing at all. She was invested and hopeful and looking to the future. He was enjoying the sex. That was what it came down to.
She had no doubt he enjoyed her company. She could see it in his eyes when he looked at her. But the idea of talking about anything bigger seemed to send him running. All the way back to Annapolis this time. She didn’t know where it would be next time, but she had no intention of waiting around to find out.
The ball was in his court. Now she needed to make him see it. “I’m going to make you breakfast and then we’ll get you packed.”
He leaned back against the pillows as if now was the time to get comfortable. “I don’t need to leave yet.”
His cluelessness actually gave her hope. He wasn’t dumping her or giving her the let’s-be-friends speech. “Yes, you do.”
His eyes narrowed and some of that casual comfortableness eased away. “Why?”
“Because this isn’t a hotel.” Maybe that hit a little lower than she intended, but it felt good to say that.
This time he climbed out of bed and walked over to stand beside her. “What the hell is that about?”
“You like me.”
“Yes.” He put his hands on her arms and pulled her in closer.
He clearly missed the part where she had hers folded across her chest. “Fine.”
But something got through, because his body switched to high alert and it showed in every muscle. “What’s happening here?”
“If you figure out what you feel is more than like—because that’s how you feel about a neighbor’s cat and not a woman—call me.”
“My neighbor has a dog.”
He had to be messing with her now. “Fabulous.”
“Lindsey, I really don’t understand this.”
“Right.” That was the problem, and for a smart man he was fumbling his way through it. “When you do get it, let me know.”
* * *
HOLT MADE IT to the private airstrip in record time. He actually got there two hours before their scheduled departure. He had planned to hang around the house, go back to bed. Spend more time with Lindsey.
He didn’t want to say goodbye. Didn’t even want to leave. He thought things were going fine, and then the questions started. He panicked and then he was in the rental car.
At least they could get moving, since they were all there. Cam was in the process of walking around the plane, performing a safety check. Shane sat on a duffel, using it as a chair as he played with his phone.
Holt did not want to be here. He had no idea what had happened. The day started out so promising. A hot woman and a warm bed. He’d been all over her all night. He knew that wasn’t the problem, because a woman didn’t beg like that if she lacked interest.
