“Not as much as I love you,” sheanswered.
After I disconnected, I drove the heel of my palm into one eye and then into the other. Even though I’d napped in the woods, I felt exhausted. Surely an accumulation of too many short nights and too many high-stressdays.
When the pickup slowed in the inn’s circular driveway, I balled up my clothes andbag.
“Thanks for coming to find me, August.” I smiled at him before hopping out of the car and shutting thedoor.
As I started toward the entrance, another car door clickedshut.
I spun around to find August ambling toward me. “What are youdoing?”
He frowned. “What do you mean, what am Idoing?”
I looked at his parked car, then at him. “You can gohome.”
“If I go home, how will you get to your new apartment? And then to Frank’s?” A gust of cool wind stole the sandalwood scent off his skin and batted it towardme.
How could he smell so good after running through the woods? I didn’t dare sniff myself. I bet I reeked of dried perspiration and dankmud.
“I can cab it,” I finallysaid.
A crooked smile turned up one corner of his mouth. “Surprisingly, I have no other engagements thisevening.”
“Aww. You canceled all your hotdates?”
“Wouldn’t be the first time, now wouldit?”
I grinned. “Whatever are you talkingabout?”
I knew exactly what he was talking about, though. When I was still living in Boulder, I’d beg him to take me to a movie or bowling or build a campfire to grill s’mores without enquiring if he had otherplans.
I hadn’t wanted to share August with his girlfriendsorfriends.
I’d wanted him all tomyself.
The awareness of how greedy I’d been dimmed my smile. “I’msorry.”
His eyebrows bent. “Forwhat?”
“For having been such a demanding and selfishkid.”
“Youweren’t.”
“I took advantage of you. Of yourkindness.”
“Dimples—”
“Same way I’m doing right now.” The heat of his half-naked body wrapped so thickly around me that I stepped away from him and then pushed through the revolvingdoors.
Emmy, who was manning the bell desk, clapped her chest. “Holy mother of God, you just gave me a heartattack.”
I knew I looked awful, but thatawful?
“Sorry,” I saidsheepishly.
She didn’t seem to hear my apology, too fixated on the body behind mine. Her face lit up with a smirk that was almost as bright as the row of silver hoops lining the shell of herear.
“What have you two been up to? Mud-wrestling?”
