“Fuckin’ A, Alex!”
He wrenched out of her grasp so quickly she stumbled. Chills erupted up her arms. But they weren’t the good kind of chills, the ones brought on by intense pleasure. These were the kind of chills that occurred when the most delightful heat source she’d ever encountered suddenly put five feet of distance between them.
“Gotta go,” he declared with an adamant dip of his square jaw.
“Wait.” She crossed her arms in an attempt to hold in some of his heat. “Wha—”
That’s all she managed before he picked her up and set her aside as if she weighed no more than one of her favorite history books. He threw open the door and was through it before she could blink.
Running into the hall, she whispered his name. Not loud enough for him to hear. But somehow he did.
He swung around and was back to her in three determined strides. Gazing up into his face, she felt her bottom lip tremble. She hated it for doing that.
Shealsohated that she was the reason for the tortured look on his face.
What have I done?she thought desperately. Because in all the time she’d known him, she’d never known him to look likethis. The stark pain in his face found an echo in her heart.
He’d kissed her. She’d come. And now he regretted the whole thing.
She should never have insisted on that kiss, even if shehadassumed he would choose confessing instead. In fact, she’d thought it the perfect plan. A way to force him to reveal a bit of the mystery that was Mason McCarthy.
But apparently, he was willing to do almost anything to keep from exposing the truths about himself.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“No.” He shook his head. “I’msorry. I’m sorry I can’t be what you want me to be. And I’m sorry I can’t do what you want me to do.”
Then, with one last regretful look, he turned on his heel and disappeared down the hall.
Alex’s heart grew so heavy she was surprised it didn’t sink down to her soles and bust a hole through the floor. She had no idea how long she stood there. It could’ve been ten seconds or ten minutes. But eventually, she turned and slunk back into her empty hotel room.
She’d just sat down at the desk, watching the grease from her burger congeal into an unappetizing blob on the wax paper, when a hard knock sounded at the door.
She was across the room in a flash. A hiccup of happiness lodged in her throat, because…He came back!
His name was on her lips when she threw the door wide. But her smile melted when, instead of Mason, she saw Romeo standing on the threshold.
“Mason told me you could use a little company tonight, eh?” His East LA accent sounded thicker than usual.
She blinked in astonishment. Mason sentRomeoto her? To do…what? Finish the job he started?
“Why are you looking at me like that?” Romeo frowned. “Do I have something stuck in my teeth?” He pulled back his lips, revealing a set of straight white chompers.
“Sorry.” Alex shook her head, trying to sound calm even though her insides roiled. “Uh, thanks for offering to, uh, step in. But I’ll pass for now. No offense to you,” she was quick to add. “Honestly, you’re probably the smarter choice. But I kind of had my head and maybe even my heart set on something else, and now I need time to regroup.”
The look on Romeo’s face said she’d just sprouted a third ear on her forehead. “What are you talking about? Do you want Meat for the night or not?”
Meat, who must’ve been sitting between Romeo’s feet all along, licked his underbite and let out a littlewoof.
“Meatball!” she cried, dropping to her knees so she could bury her face in the bulldog’s copious wrinkles.
He smelled like he’d gotten into spoiled vegetables, but she didn’t care. She was so glad for his warmth and his wiggles and his wet kisses.
“I’ll take that as a yes.” Romeo turned down the hall. Before he rounded the corner, he threw a “G’night, Alex!” over his shoulder.
“Good night, Romeo!” she called back. But as soon as he was gone, she sighed and whispered, “Oh, Mason.”
Standing and holding the door wide to allow Meat to waddle inside her hotel room, she thought,Who can resist a man who sends his dog to comfort a woman in need?
