Page 27 of Fractured Dreams

A few seconds later, it opened, and Eden stood there, dressed in cut-offs and a T-shirt, and biting her lip nervously as she looked up at him. It wasn’t quite the reception he’d been hoping for, but he smiled anyway. “Mornin’, darlin’.”

“Um, morning Tex.”

He crossed his arms and leaned against the doorframe as he watched her fidget with the hem of her shirt. His heart rate started to increase at seeing how skittish she was, but he kept his expression neutral. “You look like you’ve got something you need to say,” was all he said.

She nodded, a faint crease between her brows. Then she stopped fidgeting, stood up straight and looked him in the eye.

“I just wanted to say that last night was amazing, but…” He stared at her, not allowing his expression to give away how much he didn’t want to hear her next words. “But, I mean, obviously it was only a one-time thing, what with Noah, and you being”—she gestured in his general direction—“you.” He raised his brows. What the hell did that mean?

“So now that we’ve, uh, cleared the air, we can go back to just being friends, and Noah never has to know.” She looked up at him, eyes big and worried.

He frowned. “Cleared the air?”

“Yeah, you know. Got rid of all that… tension.”

He leaned down toward her and said in a low voice, “So what you’re saying is that you’re happy for us to go back to the way things were now that we’ve had a ‘get it out of our systems’ fuck.”

She winced at the harshness of his words but nodded. “Yeah, I mean, that’s all it was right?”

He straightened, keeping his tone neutral. “Seems like it.”

Eden nodded slowly, her eyes never leaving his. “Right. I mean, with me leaving in a couple of months and with the kind of life you lead, it was never going to be anything more than that, was it?”

And there it was. She didn’t want to be part of his life. Wasn’t interested in trying to make something out of what was obviously nothing for her but releasing some tension.

Tex forced himself to relax, giving her an easy smile and nodding. “Sure thing, sweetheart, I’m glad we got that sorted out. Anyway, I just wanted to let you know I’m gonna head out for a bit.” He turned away, then remembered something and turned back. “Don’t forget we’ve got the EoD performance tonight. Now that we’ve ‘released all that tension’, I’m assuming you’ll still be coming along?”

“Oh, um yeah, of course. Uh, Lexie’s going to be there isn’t she?”

“Sure is.”

“Okay, great, I’m looking forward to it.”

“Right, then I’ll be back to pick you up at seven p.m.”

Her face seemed to fall slightly. “Oh, you’re going to be out all day?”

“Yeah, got some things to take care of.” He kept his expression impassive.

“Okay, sure, I guess I’ll see you tonight then.”

He gave her another easy smile, then turned and left.

Fuck.

Chapter 16

Eden stared at her reflection, wondering what the hell she’d done, and why she’d ever thought sleeping with Tex was a good idea. Sighing, she finished applying the final touches to her makeup as she thought back to that morning.

When she’d woken in Tex’s bed, she’d stretched and smiled at the ache in her muscles, the ache that proved Tex had done what he’d promised and given her exactly what she needed. Memories of the night before had flashed before her eyes, sending a wash of heat through her body. Images of his hands on her, his mouth, his tongue. The things he’d done to her body had blown her mind.

But when she’d turned to look at him, he’d been gone. His side of the bed cold as if he’d never been there, even though her body screamed at her that he most definitely had.

Her mind had immediately jumped into hyperdrive. Oh, God. Did he regret what they’d done? Particularly since he’d been doing his best to resist it, and she’d practically jumped him, taking her clothes off and offering herself to him. What kind of man would say no to that? Especially a rock star, used to being able to have whatever he wanted—whoeverhe wanted.

She’d been so absorbed in the moment the evening before, she’d forgotten to tell him she wasn’t expecting anything more from him than that one night. Panicking, she’d wondered if he were somewhere in the house trying to figure out how to let her down gently. Eden’s breaths had come fast, and her face flushed so hot she’d had to bury it in her pillow to cool her skin. God, she’d been such a naïve idiot. Because deep down, regardless of what she’d told herself, she had been hoping for something more. She’d gone into it telling herself it would only be a one-time thing, but she should have known better.

She should have knownherselfbetter.

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