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But maybe it was a good sign. Maybe what we’d had was so overwhelming, she needed time to process it.
“I speak from experience,” I said. “If I could somehow talk that sister-in-law of yours into sticking around, my life would be made.”
Jared shifted his gaze in the direction of his bride. She was behind me, so I couldn’t see her without turning around, but I assumed that’s who he was looking at.
“Honestly, I would’ve never imagined Zoey would end up moving here,” Jared said. “It was love at first sight for both of us. Sometimes it takes you a few minutes or hours or even days to figure out what’s going on, but when it hits you, it hits you. There’s no running from it.”
I knew. I knew all too well. That was exactly what had happened with Brooke. One look and I’d been hooked. One taste and I wanted more. Even riding back on my motorcycle, it just felt right, having her arms around me, her breasts pressed against me. It all felt right. It was a feeling I didn’t want to end.
“I have to go get her,” I said, picking up my beer bottle and slamming down a good half dozen or so swallows. I set the bottle down so hard, I was surprised it didn’t shatter. “I’ll search every room in that hotel until I find her.”
“Hold up a minute,” Jared said as I stood, shoving the chair back with my legs. “You need to say goodbye to both of us. We’re about to hop on my bike and head up into the mountains for a week.”
I stopped, staring down at him. “The mountains? You’re going back to your cabin?”
Jared shook his head. “No, man. J.J., the guy who owns this place, has a cabin up near the Black Diamond slope. The views are amazing. He’s heading out of town for a few weeks, so he’s loaning it to us.”
“Wow. Must be nice.”
I could only imagine holing up with Brooke for a week in a cabin at the top of this mountain. Nothing but the two of us and the view. In my imagination, we’d stay naked the whole time.
I hugged Jared and Zoey goodbye and waved to some of the guys, then headed over to the hotel. I had a stack of clothes Zoey had handed me, including Brooke’s bra and a pair of tennis shoes. I just hoped everyone in the bar didn’t know exactly where I was going, but if they did, so be it.
I was going to get my woman.
7
BROOKE
I stepped out of the shower and looked around the bathroom. I missed the comforts of home. My shampoo and conditioner, my fluffy towels, and especially my robe.
I had to settle for the comparatively rough hotel towel, which I wrapped tightly around my body. Once it was locked in place, I stepped forward and wiped at the fogged-up mirror with my right hand, just trying to get an area where I could see myself.
Staring back at me in the mirror was my saddest face ever. I’d been crying for the past half hour or so, including in the shower. Finally, the tears stopped coming. I didn’t know if I’d run out of tears or my tear ducts were just taking a break. Either way, my face was swollen and puffy and I looked a mess.
Tap-tap-tap-tap.
I jumped, and my gaze automatically shot to the ceiling. Was somebody in the room above mine tapping on the floor? No, there was no room above. This was the second and top floor. Maybe it was a squirrel on the roof.
Tap-tap-tap.
“Brooke, I know you’re in there. Open up.”
Eyes wide, I stared at myself in the mirror. I was in no shape to see company. Especially not Jude.
“Hold on,” I called out.
My eyes went even wider. Why had I said that? I should’ve stayed quiet until he went away. Maybe he heard me through the bathroom door. Out of habit, I locked the bathroom door when I was in the shower, even at home, just in case a madman broke in. It sounded like I had a madman at my hotel room door.
“I’ll wait,” he said.
He’d heard me, I guessed. It made sense since I could hear him on this side.
I unlocked the door and pulled it open, weighing my options. I could go grab my only remaining outfit—the one I’d originally planned to wear for the drive home tomorrow. I could throw on the T-shirt I’d brought to sleep in. The third option was climbing back into that godforsaken bridesmaid dress—the one that had a smudge of dirt on it from being tossed on the ground right before our lovemaking session.
I didn’t want to do any of that, though. I wanted to get rid of the guy, tell him to go away. I needed time. I needed space. I needed him.
Irritated at my own thoughts, I marched toward the door and rose on tiptoe to look through the peephole. Sure enough, he stood on the other side, his back to me, his shoulders broad in that black suit jacket.
