Page 27 of Desperate Desires

“Um, if you want, I can give you some space to dry off and dress—” I added, knowing I was talking way too much.

Awkwardness crept in and I was fully aware of how ridiculous this was.

He looked like a leading man or a stunt double at the least, and as for me, well, I was definitely not in his league. He was gorgeous and at best I was average.

Okay, slightly better than average.

I had good skin and hair, and I was fond of my eyes and chin.

But compared to him, I felt downright fucking homely in the glaring fluorescent lights of the bathroom.

Maybe I was making it worse by standing there?

Maybe I should leave?

“Right,” I murmured and nodded my head.

I turned to exit the shower with some pride intact, but then I felt his hand on my shoulder as he spun me back to face him.

“Where do you think you’re going? I’m not finished with you yet, Doc,” he growled, cupping my cheeks and pulling me to him for another soul searing kiss.

I’m not finished with you yet.

Who says things like that?

I should’ve pushed him away just for talking bullshit like that.

But I didn’t.

To my undying shame, I let him lead me out of the shower stall, all the way to my bed.

And once we got there, I let him do other things, too.

Deliciously dirty, desirous things.

And when I woke up the next day, which incidentally was the first of the new year, to find my mysterious guest gone and my heart a little bit broken, well, I only had myself to blame.

“I should have known better,” I whispered and rolled out of bed.

Fairytale endings were for other women.

They weren’t for me.

Chapter 8-Shelly

“Micky? Andrea? Lucy? What are you guys doing here?”

I stood there surprised after I opened my front door just two days after Ono had disappeared to find my bestie standing there with her baby and a handful of cousins in tow.

“Oh my God, Shelly! Where have you been?” my BFF chided, shoving her adorable son into my arms, as she unwound the giant ivory wool scarf she wore from around her neck.

“What do you mean? I told you I’ve been sick,” I said, nuzzling Baby Michael and ushering everyone into my tiny apartment.

After calling Micky that first night Ono was here, I’d ignored her messages except for sending her a selfie each day and letting her know I was alive.

Didn’t want her sending in the troops. Anyway, New Year’s Day had come and gone, and I’d missed the big family dinner.

But I heard all about Clementine’s private wedding to Connor Callahan, which was big news.

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