Page 19 of Wait for You

“I think I need to sit.” Her words came out in a mumble right before her eyes rolled back into her head, and her body collapsed into Mat’s arms.

“Gen!”

CHAPTER 7

Imogen

Imogen’s eyes fluttered open, her gaze catching on a wooden ceiling with boards stained a deep pecan. Below them, exposed timber beams crisscrossed her vision. Something niggled at her mind while she studied them as if she ought to recognize the cabin-esque construction. They were rustic. Too rustic to be in the lieutenant’s home.

With that realization, Imogen bolted upright.

Where am I?

She drew a sharp breath, head swiveling to take in the room.

Mat’s house.

The tan leather sofa she’d been lying on was new, but the stacked-stone fireplace across from the couch, the painting of the lake hanging above it, and the smell of pine logs as they burned. Those were all the same. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

Cozy. Warm. Safe.

A sigh floated out of her, half relief and half anguish. She never thought she’d return here, and an overwhelming need to flee made her drag herself to her feet. When they’d been together, she’d loved staying at his place. She’d practically lived there even though Mat had never asked her to move in.

A dull ache pulsed under her ribcage. Her own folly—reading too much into their relationship. The jaggedness of that truthstill had the power to make her heart bleed. The memories engulfed her as she stood amidst the past, threatening to drag her back onto the sofa.

Imogen rubbed at the invisible wound on her chest, dropping her stare to her feet to try to block them out. Her brows squished together in confusion when she caught sight of her toes. Her high heels were gone, but she still wore the too-long costume dress. When she remembered the chaos at the party—the smoke and the danger, then fleeing through the claustrophobic corridor, her head snapped up to search for Mateo.

What happened?

She’d felt strange, and then she’d . . .

Did I faint?

A tremor of shock rolled through her. She’d never done that before.

How long was I out? And how did I get here?

With a huff, she yanked one side of the dress up so she wouldn’t trip. She had to find Mat because she needed answers.

Before she’d taken more than a step, she heard his voice behind her and spun around. She moved so fast she nearly fell onto the couch. Splaying her hands on the top of the sofa’s back, she saw him talking on the phone ten feet away. His back was to her as he stared out the floor-length windows, speaking softly. The darkness beyond them made her think she hadn’t been out for too long if morning had yet to come.

“. . . still on. I’ll go there tomorrow.”

Imogen didn’t know who he was talking to or what they were discussing, but she was growing impatient for the conversation to end. Her gaze narrowed to a hole she drilled into his spine, silently demanding he turn around and acknowledge her.

His right hand lifted to run through his dark-brown hair as he finally turned. It froze there, and he abruptly stopped talking.She read the relief evident on his face. Then he blinked, and anger replaced it.

“I gotta go,” he barked into the phone before hanging up and shoving it into his shirt pocket. He’d clearly had enough time to change into jeans and a flannel. It tugged against the ridge of muscles along his shoulders as he moved. Her gaze fell to the sleeves he’d folded up, which bared his powerful forearms. He looked likeherMat, which sent a ripple of heat wrapped in nostalgia coursing through her body.

Imogen shook her head. She refused to let it affect her anymore. “What happened?”

He stalked toward her, and she pushed off the back of the couch to face him as he came around it. The anger lingered in the set of his jaw, and she wondered what that was about. He couldn’t really be mad at her for passing out, could he?

If anyone should be mad, it was her. He’d made her go into that stupid hallway, to begin with! Feeling righteous, Imogen propped her hands on her hips, ready to freeze him out if he so much as hinted this situation was her fault.

Her resolve melted into surprise when his arms banded around her and pulled her into his chest. “Ohhmph.” A word that was more noise than anything intelligible left her throat.

What is he doing?

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