Page 3 of When We Feel

It better be good. Walking to the door, I leave a trail of wet footprints across the floor.

I yank it open.

Dressed up as if he just came from downtown, Francisco spins around to face me.

His eyes lock mine in a second.

“Did you find her?” he rasps without the slightest introduction.

“No,” I deadpan, pivoting away, avoiding his stare.

He walks behind me and closes the door while I go straight to the minibar. I fix a drink for myself.

“Do you want something to drink?” I ask in response to his silence.

Our eyes meet again. It’s going to be challenging to pull this one off. Francisco knows me well, and he knows how determined I am when it comes to anything, especially her.

He knows how I never give up.

He also knows how to read me and picks up on non-verbal clues as fast as Kai. And right now, I’m brimming with them.

My body talks the most. The tension, the swagger. That sexual vibe draped over me. There’s nothing I can do to hide it.

And what’s worse…

What’s fucking worse is that there are no women. I can’t spin this story the way I want. I can’t say I was out and fucked someone. And for sure, I don’t look like someone who was about to fall asleep.

“Francisco?” I murmur when his stare goes blank.

“Huh?”

His focus sharpens.

“Do you want a drink?”

He clicks his tongue.

“No. I’m fine. Where were you?” he asks curtly.

He must suspect the shitty truth. That I went behind their backs, located her, and fucked her.

And now I’m fighting that very truth, which I am.

How does he know? I have no idea.

But I see it in his averted gaze. He doesn’t look at me as if he’s affected, hurt, or something.

There we go…

This might go to hell faster than I thought.

I take a sip.

“I drove around. Went up the coast. Came back. Went to a bar. Shit like that.”

He moves his eyes to me.

“Uh-huh.”

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