Page 17 of Delayed
Fuck me. This woman was infuriating.Normally it was him making excuses as to why this scenario would gonowhere. Their roles were reversed, and he didn’t like it. Not onebit.
How many times had he been the one to tellthe woman this was only one night, that they would not text or talkon the phone? Too many times. And now here he was on the other sideof it. It sucked. His stomach soured at the thought of all thewomen over the years that he might have made feel this sameway.
He crawled out of bed and slipped into hisboxer briefs and jeans. His t-shirt lay crumpled on the floor nextto the bed where he’d thrown it after lifting it off her. He shookout the wrinkled tee and pulled it over his head. Her spicy vanillascent invaded his nostrils, and he lost his breath.
He couldn’t wear this shirt. Her scent wouldtantalize him all day. He’d never be able to think, to work, tomove forward. Grabbing his duffel bag from the floor, he rifledthrough the clothing until he found a different shirt.
He could pack up his bag and sneak out ofthe room. Leave her to her brooding. But he wouldn’t do that.Despite her words, he wasn’t giving up. Not yet.
Chapter Nine
Steam from the shower fogged up the bathroommirror. Anna swiped a hand over the glass so she could see herreflection. Unsure if she’d have time to dry and style her hairbefore heading to the airport, she had tied it in a messy bun so itwouldn’t get wet. Puffy eyes confirmed her lack of sleep, but thereason—multiple reasons, in fact—why she didn’t get a full night ofrest heated her skin and brought a smile.
Then her stomach sank. She’d never been sorude to another person in her life. Rex had attempted to extendtheir time together, offered getting to know each other. He seemedgenuinely interested in her. And she’d stacked the bricks aroundher heart, building a fortress. Insinuating that he slept around.Maybe he did, but she didn’t know that. She’d had to put up herwalls. Entering into any sort of relationship with Rex would onlylead to distraction and heartbreak. She didn’t have time foreither. A relationship didn’t fit into the plans she’d made. Shewas so close to her promotion. This was supposed to be one night.An out-of-character spontaneous moment.
She could do something unplanned. She couldstep out of her comfort zone. And she had. Now it was back toorganized and planned.
But how could she walk out there and facehim again? She wouldn’t be surprised if he’d packed up his thingsand took off.
She slipped on her wrinkled skirt, bra, andsweater. She hadn’t packed much for what was supposed to be a lessthan twenty-four hour trip. She’d need to grab another pair ofunderwear to replace what Rex had destroyed. She touched up herface with makeup and released her hair from its messy bum. That’dhave to do for today.
Unlocking the bathroom door, she walked outinto the room. Rex sat in the chair by the window, looking up whenshe stepped into the room. He had dressed in his jeans and a blacklong-sleeved t-shirt. He crossed his ankle over his knee, his feetstill bare, his fingers steepled in front of his chest. The lineetched between his brow reminded her of the series of men she’d satacross from many times prepared to make their pitch. His jawclenched.
She dropped her gaze. “I’m sorry forsnapping at you.” She walked to her suitcase and opened it. Sherummaged through the interior pocket for a pair of underwear. Shepulled out a simple white lace bikini.
He cleared his throat. “Apologyaccepted.”
That was quick. She glanced over at him. Hisintensity had evaporated. A tiny smile peeked on his lips and hisgaze dropped to the material she held between her fingers beforesnapping back to hers. The smoldering of his stare burned throughher and caused her low belly to ache, reminding her exactly why sheneeded this new pair of underwear. What this man could do to herwith just a look and a smile.
“Why are you opposed to us?”
She stepped into her panties, shimmying themup her hips, then smoothing her skirt back over her. “I like you,Rex. I really like you. But I don’t have time for a relationshipright now. Certainly not a long distance one. And you don’t appearto have the time either. Why pretend like this will go anywherewhen we both know it won’t?”
He pushed to standing, crossing his armsover his chest. “The thing is, Anna, you think this will gonowhere. However, I have no idea where it could go if you’d give ita shot. Maybe it fizzles out a few weeks after we get back to ourdaily lives. Maybe we go on a few dates and decide we havesomething and figure a way to work it out.” He shrugged. “I don’tknow. But I’d like to see where we end up.”
He walked over to her and brushed a fewstrands of hair behind her ear.
She inhaled his sandalwood scent. Hisproximity, his smell, his deep voice, his words—all made herdizzy.
“What can I say?” He lowered his lips,hovering over hers. “I’m into you.” Then he kissed any retort rightout of her.
****
They rode a taxi to the airport. Though Rexhad intertwined their fingers in the back seat, Anna fiddled withher phone in the other hand. She sent a few work emails and let herfriend Janice know she was on her way to the airport. Ignoring thebrush of his thumb over hers wasn’t easy. In fact, it wasimpossible. Her skin tingled where he touched.
She’d decided not to fight with him. They’dgo their separate ways at the airport and that would be that. Thiswouldn’t go anywhere, but there was no need for her to be hostileabout it. She’d had a wonderful time with him, and she preferred tostore it as a good memory instead of one where they walked away mador frustrated.
Anna had a direct flight to Tampa and Rexwould catch a plane to D.C. He’d head back to Orlando at some pointafter that.
The taxi pulled up to the terminal. Rextipped the driver before helping Anna across the snow-dustedsidewalk to the airport entrance.
“You could have waited at the hotel foranother hour or so,” she said.
He squeezed her hand. “And miss our dramaticairport goodbye? No way.”
Her lips tugged into a smile. He had such agreat sense of humor. She’d laughed more in the last twenty-fourhours than she’d had in months.
“You know me, super dramatic.” She flippedher hair over her shoulder and cocked an eyebrow at him.
