Page 41 of Heartbreaker

I park, grab my bag from the trunk, then wait as they pull in beside me.

“Hey,” I say to John, remembering him (and his discretion) from the after party a couple weeks back.

“Mr. Ewing,” he replies, pulling open the back door for Jade before heading to the trunk.

And then…

She’s climbing out of the car.

Fuck.

She’s wearing jeans and a sweater, her hair piled up on top of her head?—

And yet she’s more beautiful than when she’d been all dolled up at the awards.

Though, certainly not more beautiful than when she’d been naked and coming on my cock.

Her cheeks flush when she realizes that I’m watching her, and I hate the uncertainty that creeps into her eyes, hate it enough that I remind my cock that this retreat isn’t about sex.

It’s about finding all the reasons to not want her, and to give her enough that those pictures don’t follow her.

“Hey,” she says, spinning in a circle and sighing softly. “This is a beautiful place.”

“One of the best,” I agree.

We’re quiet for a moment, and I wonder if it’s going to always be like this—tinged with awkwardness, with my mistakes.

If the chemistry from that night, the hours’ long conversations that felt like seconds, are gone forever.

But then she turns to me, her smile small, her expression content, and I feel both in my cock, wrapping slender fingers around me, squeezing firmly, and pumping.

Jesus.

I shove that down, open my mouth to tell her about the problem with the cabins.

“I put your bags on the porch, Ms. Cantrell,” John says. “Will there be anything else?”

“No,” she says and I don’t miss her passing him a folded bill. “Enjoy your vacation and I’ll see you in a few days.”

He nods. “I’ll be in town if you need anything.”

“Thanks,” she murmurs, and then John’s in the car, turning around and driving away.

Leaving us alone.

And leaving me to break the news.

And no, don’t ask me why I didn’t tell her before her ride left—that would involve me having to examine the bullshit in my head far too closely.

“Where’syourcabin?” she asks softly.

“I—” Well, fuck, there’s no easing into this, is there?

She frowns at my hesitation. “What is it?”

“There was a problem with the cabins.” I explain about Briar’s mistake making the reservation and Dave telling me the resort is full up. “So…” I clear my throat. “We only have one cabin.”

Her eyes go wide as she squeaks. “One?”

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