Page 31 of Hold Me Until Morning

I’d set my laptop on the high wooden table that rested along a metal partition. The table served as the check-in station for guests, and I turned my focus to tapping out a few notes about the meeting with Sherry, so engrossed as I leaned over the table that I could have missed the shift in the atmosphere.

Okay, maybe there was absolutely no chance that I could have missed it.

The way a brand-new tension curled through the space.

An awareness that flashed.

Both suffocating and light.

Like warm streaks of sunlight were spearing into my back and prodding all the way to the soul.

I did my best to act like I didn’t notice he was there until a rough chuckle skated over me from behind. “I see you are already whipping this place into shape.”

Steeling myself, I looked over my shoulder.

The steeling bit didn’t work. Not even a little bit.

Because all the air heaved from my lungs when I found him casually strolling my way, wearing another plain white tee that stretched and strained with each step that he took, jeans clinging to those thighs, and dusty boots that promised the man did more than an honest day’s work.

But it was that gilded gaze taking me in that nearly did me in. The way the rust-colored flecks seemed to lap like the warming of flames.

He must have shaved since the last time I’d seen him two days ago, and now his strong jaw was covered in a short brown stubble.

His lips quirked up at the side.

So easy.

So casual.

As if the moment he’d left me shaken in my bedroom hadn’t occurred—as if there’d been no tension and it hadn’t felt like my heart was getting shattered all over again—as he sauntered up with his big hands shoved in the pockets of his jeans.

I finally gathered myself enough to speak. “I’m just going through some of the practices here and seeing where we can improve things.”

“Pretty sure you being here is definitely improving things.” Playful suggestion filled his voice.

A scowl came unbidden, the natural instinct to protect myself from him. “Don’t you have enough to keep you busy that you shouldn’t feel the need to come in here distracting me from my work?”

He smirked as he angled the rest of the way up behind me, coming so close that I was inundated with his scent.

Spice and cedar and earth.

“What, you weren’t missing me?” He breathed the tease at the shell of my ear.

Chills lifted on the nape of my neck.

Whipping around to face him, I backed up a step to put some space between us. “Now, why would I be missing you?”

I shouldn’t even grant him that, but the question was out before I could process the consequence.

Begging for the things that would hurt me in the end.

He hiked a massive shoulder to his ear where those stupidly adorable curls peeked out from under his cap. “Well, I was missing you, so I thought you might be feeling the same.”

Exasperation shook my head.

Such a player, feeding me those lines.

“I don’t need you coming around here toying with me. I have work to do, the same as you.”

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