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Scarcely daring to breathe, I slowly try to extricate myself from beneath her without jostling her awake. I don’t particularly want her to wake and find we’ve been snuggling. That would definitely send her the wrong message. But as soon as I shift, Heidi gives a soft moan. I freeze, hoping she might fall back asleep. But it would seem I’m out of luck.
Heidi’s eyes flutter open, and she offers a sleepy smile, her voice soft and warm. “Good morning.”
It’s a simple greeting, but it carries the weight of significance. I expected some level of awkwardness, a moment of hesitation or uncertainty after we crossed a boundary we’d both been avoiding. Yet, Heidi seems perfectly at ease with what happened between us, as though the line we crossed isn’t a point of concern for her.
“Morning,” I mumble, releasing her to sit up, and she willingly lets me go.
She stretches languidly, her fingers grazing my chest as she arches her back, and I suppress a shiver at the sensation. “Last night was... fun,” she says, her eyes meeting mine with open sincerity.
A pang of unease lances through me at the simplicity of the word. “It was.”
She props herself up on one elbow, studying my expression. “Did we celebrate your successful deal properly?” she asks, and a hint of insecurity slithers into her tone.
“It was perfect,” I acknowledge, leaning in to brush a gruff kiss across her lips. Regardless of my inner conflict, I don’t want her to feel like she did something wrong. I’m the one who messed up. And now I’m kicking myself. “We'd better get going. I promised I would get you to work on time.”
Heidi gasps, her eyes flying to the clock.
“Your business hours start at eight, yes?”
Momentary surprise flits across Heidi’s face, as if she didn’t think I would look something like that up to ensure she gets to work on time. “Yes?”
“You’ll have time to go home and change,” I assure her.
I, on the other hand, will have to skip a shower. I’m expected in the office at seven for the weekly family meeting.
Heidi’s shoulders settle, and she gives me a grateful smile. Then she slips out from under the covers, giving me a glimpse of her perfect naked body. Her adorable pajamas are strewn around the room, discarded during our last round of sex that culminated in my poor decision to cross a line of intimacy I shouldn’t have.
She collects her PJs on the way to her overnight bag and packs them neatly before pulling out a pair of leggings and a flowing white tunic. As she dresses, I tear my eyes away to get ready myself.
We move around each other in a space somewhere between awkward silence and quiet companionship, and by the time I call for our ride to the helicopter, my tongue is so tied, I don’t know that I could speak even if I knew what I wanted to say.
Yesterday was a mistake. I know that now because I’m treading dangerously close to having feelings for Heidi, and our connection last night has only further clouded my judgment. I unintentionally managed to create a tangled web of emotions in a single night.
So as we ride out to the helipad, I keep my hands to myself, not placing one on the small of her back to guide her like I’ve grown accustomed to. The chopper’s intense hum fills the air as it ascends from the helipad, carrying me and Heidi away from the hotel Prime and Caramel.
I stare out the window, my mind a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts and emotions. I messed up. I took it too far, and now I’m not sure I can reel my feelings back in. But I must if I’m going to continue to see her.
And if I can’t, it’s time to cut her loose.
The thought of ending things with Heidi is beyond painful. But we had an agreement, one I intend to stick to—no attachment, just sex.
Normally, that works just fine for me. It’s the women who tend to want more. But with Heidi, it’s different.I’mdifferent. She seems perfectly capable of managing a casual relationship, like she said she would be. Yet, I find myself falling deeper for her, feeling emotions I swore I would never mess with again.
How did I let myself get into this situation?
As the chopper carries us up the coast, I steal a glance at Heidi, sitting beside me. Her profile is serene, a stark contrast to the turmoil inside me. She peers out the window at the skyline, seemingly caught up in the view.
I try to find some of that same composure, but the war within me is too powerful. By the time the wheels touch down in San Francisco, I’m more lost in my thoughts than I was when I woke to find her in my arms.
Walking Heidi to the elevator, I ride it down to the garage, where my men are waiting to take her safely home. Before she climbs into the car, she turns to face me.
Something in her gaze catches my attention, a guardedness that I haven’t seen before. Suddenly, I realize how quiet she’s been this morning. I was so wrapped up in my own thoughts, I hadn’t wondered if her silence might not mean something more. The tension in the air is palpable, and I can’t help but wonder what’s going through her mind.
In an instant, I’m troubled by the possibility that she might recognize the signs of my feelings and want to end our agreement now.
“I’ll see you again soon?” I state, though my tone makes it sound more like a question.
“Okay.” She offers up a smile, but this one is weaker, almost trembling at the corners of her lips.
