Page 34 of Midnight Mate
My grin widened. I signaled for the waiter and the check.
“Good. Because I’m walking you home, and I’m coming inside. We’ve got some lost time to make up for.”
10
Cat
East was in full seduction mode. I could see it in his eyes. Sense it in the way he kept letting his hand brush my skin as we moved through the restaurant and out the door into the cool night. My heart pounded harder the closer we got to my apartment. I wanted this. But I also couldn’t afford it. Not now.
I hadn’t lied back there.
His vulnerability and trust in me when he’d told me about his dad had only made my feelings for him worse. But if we slept together now, there’d be no preventing my heart from breaking all over again when he left. And after the bomb he’d dropped at dinner, I had no doubt hewouldleave. Even though I was still pissed about what he’d done, I couldn’t blame him for it. Not anymore.
“Here we are.” East turned and led the way up the front walk to my building.
I lagged behind.
“East.”
My voice was faint, but he turned immediately, concern already lining his rugged face.
“What’s wrong?”
He was at my side instantly. Another point in his favor. And another reason this was a bad idea.
I nodded to the window already lit above us. “Looks like Rudy’s home. I don’t think tonight’s the best night for this. Unless we want an audience.”
He smiled. “Plan B. We’ll go to my room at Nicole’s.”
“Also an audience,” I pointed out. “Those walls are paper thin.”
He eyed me knowingly. “You don’t want this.”
I hesitated then forced my gaze to his, knowing full well he could hear my erratic heartbeat. “When your injury is healed, will you leave again?”
He hesitated. “My life isn’t here anymore, Cat.”
I nodded, my throat tightening. “Exactly.”
I pushed past him to the door.
“Cat.”
“I’ll see you at your next appointment.”
I slipped into my building before he could answer, closing the door on something that had ended long ago anyway.
* * *
Monday was a shitshow. I spilled coffee on my favorite sweater, ran out of creamer, and was confronted by an angry patient—all before nine a.m. Basically, it was an outward reflection of my shitty mood.
East had wanted to take me to bed, and I’d said no.
To Easton Raines.
The guy who’d stolen my heart ten years ago and never given it back.
I was an idiot. And just in case I wasn’t sure about that fact, Rudy had told me so the moment I walked in and explained why I was crying.
