Page 48 of Tempted Away

“And?” I say, waiting for him to continue. Conferences don’t happen often, but when it does, I always accompany him. We have breakfast together, and I do my own thing until dinner time, when they break for the day. Then we spend the evening together and use the Sunday to explore whatever location we’re in.

I feel a spark of excitement. This could be just what we need. Some time away together, even if it’s short.

“And what?” His tone is a bit frosty, obviously still a bit put out about last night.

“Where is it?”

“Boston.”

“You need me to take you to the airport?”

This is where he should be saying, “Don’t be ridiculous, we’ll catch a cab. Of course you’re going with me.”

Instead, he shakes his head. “I’m driving. I’ll be leaving Friday at lunch. It’s a big one, and I want to settle in and get a good night’s sleep before Saturday.”

Of course, it’s I and not us. Why would I have thought differently? I shrug and walk to the cupboard, not wanting him to see the hurt on my face.

“Look, I would have asked you to come, but it’s going to be jam-packed. We won’t have any time to spend together. You’ll get bored.” Bored in Boston? I don’t think so, but whatever. “It’s running longer than they normally do. We’re finishing up at lunch on Sunday, so I’ll be back by late afternoon.”

“It’s fine, Quinn,” I mutter, grabbing some jeans and a top. That damn headache is back, pounding at my temples.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

QUINN

THE FURTHERaway we get from home, the more my shoulders relax. Our town’s not small, but it’s not huge either, and there’s always the chance that someone can spot us.

I have loads of leave due, so it wasn’t hard to get the day off. Justine sweet-talked Phillip, and because she’s an intern, he didn’t put up much of a fuss.

It was hard meeting Bailey’s eyes this morning when I dropped a quick kiss on her lips. We treated conferences as a mini getaway, and I couldn’t miss the hurt in her eyes. I was worried she’d see the lie on my face, but it was the best excuse I could come up with. It’s not like I could say, “I need to get away without you because I need a break from you,” or “I desperately need a couple of nights where I can fall asleep and wake up next to the girl I’m fucking.”

I bet that wouldn’t have gone down well.

As soon as Justine came running out of her apartment all my reservations went up in flames. Fuck, it feels good to do something just for me.

I have one hand on the steering wheel, the other cupping her leg which, is exposed by the tiniest pair of shorts known to man. I can’t wait to get to the hotel and rip them off. I shift in my seat, trying to get more comfortable, forcing myself to listen to her instead of focusing on visuals. Soon enough, I promise myself.

My smile is indulgent while she’s jabbering away at things she looked up for us to do while in Boston. I’ve done all those things already, and I’m not interested in doing any of them again. If the weekend goes the way I want it to, we won’t be doing much sightseeing at all.

Once we get to the hotel, the receptionist takes my credit card with a smile, and I’m thankful that Bailey and I decided to keep our finances separate. I grumbled a bit in the beginning because married people should share everything, right? I eventually gave in because it was purely a business decision because of her store.

At least now I won’t have to try and explain away all the numerous charges on my credit card statement. I’m sure she’d have something to say about the flowers, the numerous restaurant bills, and the couples’ package at Spa Solange. Then there’s the charge for the tennis bracelet that’s winking on Justine’s arm. It cost more than I wanted to spend, but fuck the way she blew me after was something for the record books.

“This is amazing,” Justine breathes, her eyes wide when we walk into our suite. She drops her overnight bag on the bed and walks over to the wall of windows. I told her to pack light, and like the good girl she is, she listened. “This view is stunning. You can see for miles.”

With the amount of time we’ll be spending in this room, I went all out. Two things were non-negotiable. A king-size bed and a tub that’s big enough for two.

I hope she enjoys the view because this is as much of Boston as what she’s going to see.

I walk up behind her and wrap my arms around her waist. She sighs and leans back against me, tilting her head up.

“You spoil me so much.” Her voice is soft, her smile softer. But it’s the look in her eyes that makes me uncomfortable. It’s vulnerable. It’s trusting. It’s more than I deserve.

“You’re worth it,” I whisper, kissing her softly. And she is. Just not for me. Annoyed with the places my mind’s going, I turn her in my arms. I didn’t come here for self-reflection. I do enough of that whenever I have a quiet moment. Not that it’s helped me figure out this situation I’m in and why I’m doing it. At all.

She winds her arms around my neck, going on to the tips of her toes, and then her mouth is on mine. Sometime during this weekend, I’m going to fuck her against these windows, but not now. Right now, I want to play. I want to explore, so with my hands under her ass, I lift, and her legs wind around my hips. She squeals when I throw her on the bed.

*****

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