Page 17 of Entwined Hearts

I give her shoulder a gentle squeeze. “I should get going.”

A twinge of disappointment fills her eyes.

I roll away, her hand sliding off my cock, which is protesting. Loudly.

“You can shower if you want,” she says, watching me from the bed. The covers have pulled away from her enough to expose her small, round breasts. Last night they were everything I needed, but now…well, it’s time to get on the road.

“I’m good,” I say, pulling on my jeans. I tuck my semi carefully inside, then reach for my t-shirt.

I realize I’m hurrying, so I force myself to slow down. Sabrina was great. I don’t want her to think she’s the reason I can’t wait to leave.

“When are you coming back to Vegas?” she asks.

“Not sure.” Which is the truth. I buckle my belt and search the floor for my flip-flops, finally finding them under the bed.

“Well, thanks,” I say.

Her brown eyes remain passive, but she gives me a little wave.

Once I’m in the truck, I sit with my fists pressed into my eyes until I can breathe again. It was easy to lose myself in Sabrina for a while, but Anya was never far from my thoughts: her pale blue eyes, the slender curve of her neck, and her pink lips. I kept thinking about what it would be like to kiss them.

Which is why I couldn’t rest last night, trying every position in the book. But the relief I usually get from such efforts eluded me.

I start the truck and put it in gear, wondering what Anya’s doing today.

I imagine a half-empty house, though that’s dramatic. If Jake is the gypsy I believe he is, he likely had a minimal presence at Anya’s. Besides a missing toothbrush, I bet not much has changed. Except she’s alone.

With a grimace, I drive toward the interstate.

I’d like to say I used the drive to get my head back on straight, but that doesn’t happen. The desert extends in all directions, flat and brown. I pass an Air Force base, remembering the day I moved Paige and Maddy to where they are now, in Bishop.

When she called me from North Carolina back then, I knew I had to make a choice. I don’t regret my decision to leave climbing, not for one minute. I couldn’t protect Paige when we were growing up, but I can make it up to her now. Or at least I’m trying. And being back in Bishop means I can try to mend the broken friendships I left behind.

I debate for fifty miles whether I should send Anya a message. I don’t want to be obnoxious, but I also can’t stop thinking about her going through so much shit alone. Finally, before I lose service in Death Valley, I send her a knock-knock joke.

My phone rings. It’s Anya. My skin does a little jolt when I tuck the phone to my ear. “Hey,” I say, unable to hold back my smile.

“Thanks for making me laugh,” she says. “I needed that.”

“Anytime.” I don’t hear any noise in the background. Is she at home? I wonder what she’s wearing, but I quickly shut down that line of thinking.

“How are you doing?” I ask.

“I’m okay,” she says in a neutral voice.

I wish I could see her face, then I’d know if she was lying.

“Are you climbing today?” she asks.

“No, but I’m betting you are.”

“I’m not sure yet.”

“You should,” I say. “Get your mind off things.”

After a long pause, she says, “Thanks for last night. For not making it weird, I mean.”

“Why would it be weird?”I care about you ison the tip of my tongue, but it stays there. “You’ve been through a lot,” I say instead.

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