Page 28 of Thornhill Road

I doubted I’d ever find out.

Two minutes later, I was mostly dressed, my pink heels in my hands.

Freaking concrete floors everywhere were going to make it impossible for me to sneak out with my shoes on.

In bare feet, I raced to my purse and immediately went hunting for my phone. The relief that washed over me when I saw I had no missed calls was immense.

With one last look across the room, I strapped my purse over my shoulder and ever so slowly opened the door. I closed it just as carefully, then tucked my feet into my Jimmy Choos. Walking on tiptoes, I retraced my steps from the night before, hoping I didn’t run into anyone.

The clubhouse was quiet. Then again, it wasn’t even eight in the morning. Unless some of the guys were still up partying, I figured my chances were good I’d get out of there unseen.

I looked both ways when I got to the end of the hallway. When I saw no one, I hurried through the main room toward the exit. As I went, I noticed Mustang wasn’t the only one with an affinity for area rugs. They were scattered strategically, under couches, tables, and chairs—furniture that was well worn, but not ratty.

Furniture that was also not all empty.

I spotted a couple naked women passed out on one couch, reminding me I didn’t have time for a thorough look around. Not sure who else might have been sleeping it off in the room, I picked up my pace, holding my breath as I went.

The last thing I saw before I stepped out into the light of day was the Wild Stallions flag pinned above the double doors.

I made my trek back to my car unhurriedly, letting my mind process all that had happened as I went.

I’d crossed a line, and it was reckless.

I didn’t regret it, but I knew I should.

It had been years since I slept with a guy on the first date. I was usually a third date kind of gal. Three dates let me know he wasn’t just going to bail after he got me in bed. It wasn’t fool proof, but it was a safeguard I was good at implementing—and when it came to dating, I didn’t have many of those.

Mustang hadn’t even bought me dinner.

He did, however, put me on the back of his bike, and that was way better.

Now, the tables had turned, and I was the one bailing.

What sucked more than anything was that I knew I wanted Mustang the moment I laid eyes on him. Then he came to Ed’s house, he told me he wanted a third look, and I couldn’t resist. Fully aware he was out of bounds, I walked into that bar in myfavorite jeans anyway. And before the night was over, I let him take them off.

I fell asleep not sure how much of myself I’d given, but I woke up certain I’d given away too much.

The walk to my car wasn’t full of shame. I might have been in last night’s clothes, but there wasn’t one thing I’d done I wished I could take back. Rather than shame, I carried a heavy dose of disappointment knowing I couldn’t have him again.

Mustang was more than the embodiment of everything I was trying to keep out of my bed. He was sexy and rough and daring, sure—but he was also interesting and gentle and smart. I fell asleep in his bed, and rather than wake me up, he curled himself around me and drifted off himself.

I’d crossed a line, definitely.

Whether or not he wanted to admit it, Mustang was the son of one of my patients.

That was part of my mistake—but not the whole of it.

The whole of it was, I needed to reestablish that boundary with a man I knew I could fall for in a heartbeat.

When I got back to my car, the only one left in the bar’s parking lot, I didn’t hesitate to get inside and start it up. I knew I wouldn’t be back. Not for a while. Not until I could forget what it felt like to ride wild and roam free at Mustang’s back.

Sadly, I wondered if I’d ever return.

I hopped in theshower when I got home, hardly looking at myself in the mirror before I did. A thorough cleanse of my night at Steel Mustang with the man himself was needed. Once I wasclean, I made some coffee and distracted myself by paying bills. I thought about making breakfast, but remembered it’d been a few days since I’d hit the grocery store. I settled for a yogurt, then went to get ready for my pedicure with Jenna.

Wishing to be out of the house with some much-needed company, I left ten minutes earlier than I normally did. When I arrived at the nail salon, I didn’t stay in my car, but stepped outside and paced around the small parking lot.

I hadn’t told Jenna about Mustang the last time she’d called. Now I needed to, but there was so much to say. While I waited, I tried to pack it all into a quick and dirty version of the truth.

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