Page 10 of The Fun Part
I stare at the curve of his shoulder blindly. Holy shit. Best sex of my life hands down. His weight on me feels crazy good. I kinda want to hug him and thank him for his spectacular everything.
He nuzzles into my neck, and I sigh.No, no sighing. This after-hookup cuddling is completely against the rules. I know it; he knows it. I’ve got to get out of here before I get sucked in. And what was that gazing stuff about? That wasnotwhat we agreed to. Someone has to make the boundaries clear.
I push at his chest. He takes the hint, rolling to my side and pulling me in close. Skin to skin, the body heat between us is incredible. My eyes droop. I’m so warm and satisfied and safe.
My eyes open in alarm. Safe? I just met the guy. What is wrong with me? I hurry out of bed and start getting dressed.
He props up on an elbow. “Where’re you going? Spend the night.”
“Can’t. I have an early morning appointment.”With my comfy bed. “Get dressed. I’ll drive you to your car.”
“Too tired.”
I wiggle my dress down over my hips and turn on the overhead light. He squints against the harsh light. “I have to drive you back to Ludbury House to get your car. Mom will notice it. That’s her place of business. She may have a wedding tomorrow.”
“I’ll get a ride there first thing tomorrow. Night.”
And in the bright light of the hotel room, this man with tousled brown hair and the physique of an athlete promptly falls asleep.
I need to go. Casual only works with clear boundaries. There’s absolutely no reason to stay.
He’s so beautiful.
I pull the covers up over him, tempted to smooth his hair, but I resist. I turn off the light and leave quickly and quietly, stopping in the hallway for a few deep calming breaths.
Some mysterious force has me turning around to stare at his hotel door, imagining him opening it and welcoming me back into his arms. I suck in air. This is so not like me.
That’s not how this works.
I square my shoulders and walk over to punch the button for the elevator, ignoring the pang of regret. I know the rules.
I step into the elevator and push the “close door” button rapidly until it finally closes. I let out a breath. Cal and I are finished, forever and ever. Unless, God forbid, I find myself in need of a lawyer.
3
I’m sitting in the kitchen, innocently eating my usual humongous salad lunch, when my mind flashes to Cal on top of me, his deep gaze, the rush of unwanted feelings. I shake my head, coming back to the present to find my cat, Felix, staring at me from across the room.
“I don’t have any tuna,” I inform Felix. “Later. After grocery shopping.”
He’s a tuxedo cat, gray with a white mustache and white chest. It used to be that Felix only loved me, but when Cooper’s fiancée, Rowan, lived with me and Harper briefly, Felix devoted himself to her too. In all fairness, she was a jilted bride at the time, and my boy here senses heartbreak. Not that I’m heartbroken. I had a fun, strangely intimate one-night stand. No problem.
I avoid Felix’s stare, banishing thoughts of Cal from my mind. The memory of last night flooded back the moment I woke up, then again on my run, in the shower. I spear a cucumber slice. Maybe I should go for another run to clear my head.
Felix rubs against my leg with a shaky tail. He’s excited to be near me and ever hopeful for tuna. I stroke his cheek and give him a scratch on top of his head.
“Hel-lo,” Harper carols as she walks into the kitchen, holding a cheerful bouquet of flowers and a shopping bag. We live in a house paid for by our close friend, Shayla Adler. She’s a movie star like Harper’s mom. I know, we’re so lucky. Shayla briefly lived here, too, with her assistant, but then she got together with her long-lost love, Harper’s older brother, Owen. At least I don’t have to worry about me or Harper leaving for a guy. Neither one of us wants man complications at this point in our lives.
“Someone’s got an admirer,” she says, giving me a sly look. “Found these on the porch. So-o-o, how was it last night?”
My heart hammers. “Those are for me?” I thought the flowers were one of her impulse buys. She’s the kind of person to go to the store for one thing and come home with three more. I go with a list. What can I say, I was an accounting major. I like rules, order, and exact numbers. I’m also an excellent saver.
She plucks the card out of the bouquet and tries to hand it to me, but I evade it neatly. “Card has your name on it.”
We had one simple rule, Cal!Casual. It has to be from him, or Harper wouldn’t be enjoying this so much. I like rules, dammit!
I cross my arms. “You keep it. No, toss it.”
She grabs my hand and pushes the small envelope into it. “Don’t be weird. It’s for you. So how was it with the ball player? It was good, right? You’re glowing.”
