Her good mood took a nosedive when she checked her phone and saw a missed call and message from her dad. As much as she loved him, his call was a huge killjoy. A reality check and order to return to work and D.C.
The idea of leaving Jayson didn’t sit well with her at all. It made her heart ache. Jayson Knight was the first man to treat her like she deserved—as a beautiful, accomplished, competent woman. As his equal. How the hell could she pick up and leave after the amazing time they’d had together? Could she really pretend nothing had happened?
Expecting him to pursue a long-distance relationship wasn’t fair or ideal. The truth was, if it weren’t for her father, she wouldn’t want to return to D.C., or her job, at all. The idea of leaving filled her with despair.
But you’re an adult, Sabrina. Time to act like one.As much fun as she’d had in Montana, the party was coming to an end. She had a life back in D.C. with an apartment and bills to pay and—
And the truth was, she never wanted to go back.
After too many drinks, endless hugs and saying goodbye, she and Jayson returned to his house. Feeling a little overwhelmed and growing sadder by the minute, she threw herself into his arms, knowing this was their last night together.
Unless he wanted more.
They enjoyed two rounds of some very thorough fucking, and when it was over, Sabrina fell back against his pillows, breathing hard. Staring up at the ceiling, everything suddenly got blurry. Crying in front of Jayson because she had to leave would be humiliating. She wasn’t a little kid being told it was time to leave the park. She knew this was never meant to be a forever thing. Her time there was always meant to be temporary.You’re a grown-ass adult, Sabrina. Act like it.
While he went into the en suite to get rid of the condom, she bit her lip and squeezed her eyes closed.You will not cry. Absolutely, positively will not let him see how much he’s come to mean to you.
A minute later, the mattress sank and he pulled her into his arms, kissing her deeply. When she finally opened her eyes, he was studying her so intently. Almost as though he were memorizing her features.
“What’re you thinking?” he murmured, rubbing his index finger over the frown lines between her brows.
“My dad left a message. He wants me to come home.” She felt him tense, arms tightening as though he didn’t want to let her go any more than she wanted to leave.
“I guess we knew that would be coming.” She froze, unable to read him, waiting for him to elaborate. To beg her to stay and move in with him.Yeah, right.“When do you leave?”
Her heart fell. And goddammit, so did the tears.
“Sabrina?” He pulled back, searching her face. “Why’re you crying?”
Because I want to stay here? Remain in your life? Mean something special and important to you?
She couldn’t say any of that without sounding like a stage-five clinger. But she also had to let him know how much their time together had meant to her. Even if he didn’t feel the same.
Clearing her throat, she wiped away the stupid, traitorous tears, and sat up. “I think you might be the best time I’ve ever had,” she whispered.
He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled. “Same.”
Her heart thundered in her chest and there was so much she wanted to say, but fear held her back. If he wasn’t on the same page, if he rejected her, she’d want to curl up and die. “Do you, ah, ever visit D.C.?” she finally asked.
Okay, so maybe it was a cowardly move not to tell him what she was feeling, but he was brave. If she left the door open…invited him to tell her how he felt about her…
“No,” he answered. She waited for him to elaborate, but he didn’t.
And there you have it. He’s not interested in taking this any further.
God, she barely knew him.
So why did it hurt so much?
Driving Sabrina to the airport the next day and saying goodbye was one of the hardest things Jayson ever did. He wasn’t ready to let go, but what choice did he really have? She lived in Washington D.C., he lived on the other side of the country in Cielo Springs. She had a life there and he had one here.
But maybe he should’ve suggested they keep talking. Or that they visit each other whenever possible. His heart rebelled at the idea, though. He was an all-or-nothing kind of man. When he loved someone, he didn’t want to only see them once or twice a year.
Loved?He couldn’t love her. Hell, he barely knew her.
No, that wasn’t true. Funnily enough, even though they’d spent less time together, he felt like he knew her far better than he’d ever known Tara.
“Fuck,” he ground out and slammed a fist against the steering wheel. As he turned back into the long driveway leading up to his house, he had the horrible feeling he’d just fucked everything up so badly, there’d be no recovering.
