Page 33 of In a Bind

Chapter Twenty-Four

Zane

The week had draggedon impossibly long. I successfully managed to avoid any conversation about Raini. I'd mentioned to Trey that it was over, and he must have told Aidan and Chase because they never brought her up. I was determined to keep every relationship from this point on completely casual. I didn't need this kind of aggravation. It only got in the way of living.

I walked into the elevator holding the bottle of whiskey in a brown paper bag like any respectable drunk. The whiskey was going to be my date for the night. I told myself I could wallow through the weekend and then that was it. I was going to wash her from my mind and heart for good. At least that was the plan.

I slid the card into the door and walked inside. I headed to the kitchen for a glass and caught something out of the side of my eye. I looked into the living room. A pastel green sundress was hanging over the back of a chair. I followed the trail of clothes. A bra was hanging on the corner of a painting frame in the hallway and a pair of panties hung on the doorknob to my bedroom.

I pushed open the door. Raini was sitting stark naked in the center of my bed with one of my neckties wound around her two wrists. She lifted her hands. "I seem to be in a bind here." She climbed off the bed and walked over to me. "You haven't said anything yet. That's either bad or good."

"What happened to Paris?"

"Well, I got to the airport and I was sitting in one of those black leather chairs in the terminal and I thought what the hell am I doing? I've always told myself I'm a chicken when it comes to relationships but that was only because I hadn't ever met anyone I wanted to stay with. I hadn't ever fallen in love. Then one day, I walked into my dad's sitting room and this ridiculously handsome, extremely smart man with dark red hair and a dry sense of humor was standing there just waiting to be the man who would steal my heart."

I grabbed the loose end of the tie and yanked it. She fell against me and I wrapped my arms around her.

"And did I mention along with the other list of attributes that he happens to be the best damn lover on the planet?"

"You didn't mention that, but I think it still works as an afterthought." I smoothed my hands over her back and pressed my mouth over hers.

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