Page 42 of Happy Endings

For the longest time, they sat with bodies tangled. Trixie nestled her head on his shoulder. Her sweet scent swirled around his nose, adding to his pleasure-soaked haze. For the first time since his mom got sick, stillness overtook him.

At this moment, he knew everything would be okay. The stress of running this restaurant, Keisha’s college tuition, medical bills—everything would work out. He never thought he’d see her again. Tonight they’d just had the best make-up sex of his entire life.

“Trixie,” he finally whispered after what felt like an eternity. “I hate to move you, but my leg is falling asleep.”

“Mmmm,” she replied, nuzzling harder into his neck.

“Want to go back to my place?”

TRIXIE STIFFENED.SHEsat up and extricated herself from him. The disappointment in his eyes was impossible to ignore.Way to ruin the moment.The air between them grew awkward faster than a blast chiller.

“Um, I better go. Zoe will worry.” Trixie avoided his eyes and straightened the skirt of her dress. “She’s my roommate.”

“I’ll help you with your bags.” He stood up, walking to the bar to grab a napkin. After removing the condom, he buttoned his jeans. He didn’t bother to tuck in his shirt.

“I need to freshen up a bit.” Trixie grabbed her purse and ran into the bathroom, locking the door behind her.

Whatever stress relief she’d gotten was replaced by anxiety and panic. Without the haze of lust, her line about sex for research was weak. A flimsy excuse to be with Andre again. This was supposed to get him out of her system. The result was the opposite. Another bad decision. Another failure.

“Dammit, Trixie,” she muttered to herself. “Control your hormones. You have a drawer full of vibrators.”

How desperate had she been to jump on him the way she had? Yes, Andre knew exactly how to touch her, but she’d fallen into their old roles. He needed to call the shots—even during sex. Though she was the one who’d started it, she gave him control as soon as he wanted it.

Trixie hated herself for it. Ceding control to him with sex would be the beginning. If she didn’t pay attention, she’d let him take over her life. The life she’d built without him. She didn’t need him to be successful. Or sex.

Knock, knock.

She jumped and checked the lock on the door.

“You need anything?” Andre’s muffled voice was worried.

“Be right out!” she called back.

Once his footsteps faded away, she turned on the faucet and splashed water on her face. She couldn’t take back the sex, but now she had to set better boundaries. And not cross them.

When she walked back into the dining room, all evidence of their sex was gone. The bar and chair reset for the next day. On a different table were two glasses of water. His warm smile greeted her as he gestured to the water.

Suddenly Trixie was very thirsty. She drained the glass, then set it down with a large clang.

“No one can know about this,” she declared. She could at least pretend he was out of her system. Enough to convince Andre she was truly over him.

His smile disappeared.

“Why?”

“Everything is moving too fast. Until two months ago, we hadn’t spoken in two years. When we finally saw each other again, you told me to never come back. I’m back and now—this.”

“Glad it was good for you, too.” Sarcasm, his defense mechanism, kicked in.

Trixie cringed. “That’s not what I meant. You were unbelievably amazing, Andre. It’s just—”

“Just what? Yes, I fucked up before, but you won’t give me a chance to explain.”

“So you can feel better about yourself?” She didn’t want to ease his guilt. He had to live with the choices he’d made the same wayshe’d dealt with the blowup with her parents. Her only mistake was trusting his advice about her life.

“I’m really sorry, Trixie. I kick myself every day for what I did to you.” He hung his head.

“That makes two of us.”

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