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“Well, no… but we did the thing, so I figured you were—”
“I thought I’d stay and hold you for a while,” he says. “Who knows when I’ll see you again? I want to make tonight last.”
My heart pounds and a sudden flush of warmth spreads from my groin outward and for the first time in all my life, I feel something I’ve never felt before without sex.
It’s a warm, fuzzy, complete feeling that’s both arousing and comforting, and I don’t want it to end.
Brad runs his hand up and down my back as my eyes flutter closed with fantasies of moving away from California to live in some Miami bungalow with Brad. I imagine surfing in late afternoon waves and grilling fish before settling into each other’s arms for the night. Maybe we’d even be like one of those normal families I always hear so much about on TV. Besides, a few thousand miles between Kemp and I would be a good idea. I bet he wouldn’t think to follow me to Miami, and if he did, I bet Brad would protect me.
I nuzzle into his chest and for once in my life let myself relax. Tomorrow is the future’s problem. Tonight, I’m just some rich girl in bed with the man of her dreams.
Chapter Four
Sara
The air is thick and damp, and it’s still quite dark for eight a.m. There’s a smell like rain is on the way. Most people would be upset that the day they were flying out a storm was coming. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a bit nervous, but I’m excited to see the way a good downpour looks from the sky.
I rap on Margo’s door and wait for her to answer as a light rain begins to patter on a large leaf behind me.
“You’re up early,” she says, settling her sunglasses in place on her nose. Her hair is loosely tied behind her head and she’s dragging her suitcase with a groan. “I thought the plane didn’t leave until ten.”
“Yeah, ten.” I look at my phone for the time. “That’s only two hours from now. By the time we get to the airport and check in, we’ll barely have time to get a coffee before the plane takes off.”
I can’t see her rolling her eyes through the dark shades, but I can feel it burn through the lens. She’s always miserable the day after drinking. That combined with the fact that she’s going home for the whole arranged marriage thing will have her on edge.
“Where’s your boy toy?” she asks, letting the hotel room door slam shut behind her.
I don’t want to get into it, but I know if I don’t say something, she’ll be on me all day.
“He left early this morning.”
She pulls down her shades and eyes me. “He spent the night?”
Shit. I didn’t think this through.
I wheel my suitcase down the hallway in front of her, trying to remember which way was the elevator. “It was nothing, really.”
“At least one of us got lucky,” she says, turning toward the silver doors like she’s lived here for years. “You guys going to stay in touch?”
I bite my inner lip and press the arrow button, waiting for the sliding doors to open. A man leaving before morning isn’t new to me, most of the men I’ve slept with do that. Normally though, they don’t leave their number behind with a cute little note that reminds me how special I am. “He left his number on the side table,” I say playing it down. She’s going through enough that she doesn’t need my whirlwind romance to feel bad about. Besides, I might actually be doing Brad a favor staying away from him. God knows I’ve gotten myself into enough trouble with Kemp to last me a lifetime. “I don’t know… he’s in Miami… I’m in San Francisco. It doesn’t make sense.”
“It’s the twenty-first century. There are airplanes, and video calls, and this thing called sexting,” she says sarcastically. “If he’s a nice guy you should—”
“It’s all good,” I say, hoping she gets the hint. I know she thinks it’s small talk, and that she knows best for me, but I guarantee… she doesn’t. She doesn’t know the half of what I’ve been going through lately—no one does.
“What happened at the bar last night, anyway?” she asks, as we ride the two floors down. “Or was that your way of getting Brad alone?”
My stomach tightens as I think about Kemp gulping his drink at the bar last night. I couldn’t see his face well, but I didn’t need to. The way his thick hand clenched around the stout glass gave me enough of a chill.How long was he here? How long was he watching me? And why didn’t he hide himself better last night? Did he want me to see him? Is he following me right now?
As the elevator door opens, Margo steps out quickly, looking like an incognito celebrity, while I take my time, studying every blind corner. I shouldn’t be so paranoid; we were here nearly a week before I’d noticed him. Maybe it’s just a very sick coincidence.
“What is your problem?” she asks, looking back. “You’ve been weird all morning. You’re not answering my questions. You’re acting like someone is out to get you. Did you join the mob while we were here? Do you owe some dominate criminal your body or a load of sexual favors?” She smiles, “Because if you do, I want in.”
I fake a laugh because I know that’s what she wants, but my arms are feeling numb with stress and all I can think about is the safety I felt in Brad’s arms last night. There was no question in his mind that I was beautiful. He believed it, and he made me believe it. I shouldn’t need him to make that a reality, but I do, and he did, and now all I want is last night over and over and over again until I die. Is that really too much to ask?
My heart stiffens as Margo calls for a taxi. I didn’t want to leave the island before, but now it’s nearly painful. There’s nothing waiting for me in San Francisco. No job, no family. Hell, I don’t even have a dog awaiting my arrival. As I finish sulking, I glance toward Margo who also seems to be trapped in a world of her own, her gaze out the window and toward the passing stations as we make our way into the airport.
“Which terminal?” the round cabbie asks, staring at us through the rear-view mirror.
