Page 62 of Hers to Call
Jerica was going to show her shop spaces today and she was excited. She glanced at the brochures on her side table that she’d taken from the agent last week. She was still waffling about the apartment. Should she move in with Simon so soon? This mate business was outside of what she knew, and in the human world, moving into a man’s house so soon wasn’t done. She sighed.
Something to think about later.
A knock sounded at the door, so she dropped the brochures on the bed and went to answer. Simon stood there, sexy in a pair of fitted jeans and flannel shirt. He smiled and kissed her, pushing the door closed behind him with his foot.
“Hey, I was passing by and was told you were up here.”
“Yeah, right,” she wrapped her arms around his neck. “You were trying to catch me in the act of working.”
“If you’re trying to say that I’m looking for any reason to punish you, then you would be right.”
She snorted. “I came to change. I have an appointment with Jerica. What are you doing in town?”
“Supply run.” He frowned and backed up. “You’re seeing the real estate agent? Why?”
She stepped from him and went into the closet to pick out a button down shirt. “Well, she’s going to take me around to look at some spaces.”
He was silent. She turned and saw him going through the brochures she’d left on the bed. “You’re looking for an apartment?”
“Well…that’s not... I wasn’t sure about us.”
“You already have one foot out the door with this relationship,” he said softly.
“That’s not true, Simon, It’s time for me to get out of this hotel. To really start my life.”
“And you can’t do that with me?”
“With everything going on, I just…I didn’t know if I was ready.”
“Why won’t you commit to this? I’m doing everything I can to let you know you can trust me.”
“In fairness, I told you I wasn’t ready for a relationship.”
“And will you throw us away because you aren’t ready?”
“That’s not fair to ask, Simon.”
“But I’m asking, Calita.”
“You said you would give me time.”
“You aren’t giving me any indication that you’re even considering my offer.”
She sighed, “I am. It’s hard.”
He stood silent, his eyes going through emotions faster than she could track. The stubborn determination was there. He looked around her room. “I guess I should’ve known by the fact that you’re still hiding in this hotel room that you weren’t ready.”
She sucked in a sharp breath, hurt at his dig. “That’s fucking low.”
Yes, she’d been thinking the same thing herself, but he’d said it to hurt her.
He shook his head and turned to leave. “You know where to find me when you’ve decided.”
Anger bubbled to the surface. She wanted to lash out at him for leaving without even discussing it. “You promised me time. You can’t get pissy because I’m taking longer than you thought,” she snapped.
He growled, but stepped back taking a deep breath. “I’m not doing this with you.”
All at once, one source of her insecurity revealed itself. They’d never last if he kept tiptoeing around her. Last night had revealed how much of himself he held back from her for fear of triggering her.
