Page 21 of One Night Forsaken

I know that touch. I memorized the feel of her fingertips on my flesh.

Pinching my eyes closed, I take a deep breath. Then another before opening my eyes. Slowly, I spin around and face her. Alessandra. The woman I can’t seem to shake.

“Hey.” A smile stretches my cheeks and feels awkward as hell.

Her eyes dart between mine as her brows slowly pinch together. “Hey. What’re you doing here?”

Avoiding you.

I hold up the camera and shrug. “Working. Thought you would be too.”

And then I mentally slap myself for sounding like an asshole.Damn, I need help.

CHAPTER6

ALESSANDRA

Well, that stings.

My first day off after working ten straight had started on a high note. One line from Braydon’s lips and the relaxation from moments ago vanishes. It isn’twhathe said but how he said it that hurts. More than it should.

“Excuse me?”

He exhales audibly and hangs his head. When his eyes find mine again, I see his unspoken apology and… something else. His gaze shifts incrementally, looking over my shoulder and off in the distance. That unidentifiable emotion in his eyes, I see it more clearly as he takes in Logan and Owen—Geoff’s business partners and best friends.

Braydon is jealous. NotI will beat them downjealous. More likeshe isn’t mine, but she can’t be yours eitherjealous.

I should hate it. I should remind him we have no ties. But I don’t.

Warmth trickles through my bloodstream at the idea of Braydon laying claim to my body and heart. At the idea of him calling me his. It is a fool’s errand, I know. Something that will never come to pass. Doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy the way it feels.

“Sorry,” he mumbles, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “That came out all wrong.”

“Try again?”

We will never be more than acquaintances that shared a scorching night together. Never more than the guy from the city and the lady from the small town. We can’t be. His life exists more than an hour away. Mine will always be in Lake Lavender.

The fantasy in my head doesn’t care about facts.

“Hi,” he says, barely above a whisper. “It’s nice to see you.” His lips tip up at the corners.

“You too. Working?” I point to his camera.

He nods. “Yeah. Thought I’d capture the lake today. Walk the shoreline and let the sights spark inspiration.”

Twisting, I take in the view. Try to see the mountains and trees and lake as if for the first time. Inhale the sweet perfume from the blooming lavender shrubs as if I hadn’t for twenty-six years.

But it is pointless.

Though I have traveled out of Lake Lavender, it has never been long enough to forget why I love it here. People in big cities dream of moving away. Somewhere new and different from where they grew up. Maybe the opposite climate or landscape. Somewhere near the ocean or away from it altogether.

I haven’t traveled much, but no other place feels like home. No other place calls to my heart the way this place does.

“Came to the right place for inspiration.”

Looking back to the lake, I catch sight of my friends. Mags throws me a pleading look. A silentwho is he?I want to say he is no one, just another tourist passing through. But she would call me on the lie.

Turning my back to Mags, I catch Braydon looking at my group just out of earshot.

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