I knew the moment I heard those whispered words from Sam, he knew. I tried to keep my expression as unreadable as possible, but in that moment my own heart sped up with nerves I’m sure he could hear. Not because I didn’t feel the same, but because I was surprised that within only a few hours of being around his friends, Sam noticed.
Throughout the evening I found myself only being more drawn to Jack. Seeing him so relaxed and open with his friends wasn’t at all like I expected him to be. A stark difference from the grumpy man I’d seen these past few days.
Jesus. Days, Robyn, how can you be feeling like this after such a short time?
The way he laughed and joked with them, how he was a completely different person altogether, even down to our physical contact being a lot more intimate than it usually is. There were times his hand would rest on my thigh, twirling lazy circles with his fingers and sending the good kind of chills up my spine.
After the five of us had finished eating dinner, Jack draped his hand on the back of my neck, twirling individual strands of my hair as he and his friends caught up further with each other. I started to feel things I know I shouldn’t,looking at him in ways I refused to accept because the moment I step foot out of this house… it’s over between us. And that’s not to say I haven’t had fun with him, I have, there’s just no future for us afterwards.
Why are you even thinking like this?
Staying until Monday isn’t a good idea.
If it wasn’t so late, I’d leave now, but I literally have nowhere to go. So, I’m packing my case to leave for the airport in the morning—well, in around nine hours. If I stay longer than tonight… it will only be harder.
“He’ll never admit it, but he cares about you more than you think… so don’t hurt him, his old heart can’t take it.”
The same words Sam whispered to me keep running through my mind and I can’t get rid of them. The more I think about them the more I don’t want to go, but I know have to. I knew what this was a few days ago when he said it to me.
“When the snow thaws, little bird, it ends between us.”
And I plan to stick to it, no matter how I feel about him.
This is ridiculous. Crazy, even.
How can I fall for someone after only a few days. Shit like this doesn’t happen in real life, only in romance books and movies.
Sam was wrong.
He has to have been.
This is nothing more than sex.
Liar.
I remove tomorrow’s clothes and fresh underwear from my case, resting them on top of his dressing table and the moment I zip up my luggage, Jack walks into the bedroom and closes the door behind him.
I give him a half smile and before he has a chance to ask me why I’ve packed everything away, word vomit starts to erupt from my mouth. “I figured since the snow’s thawed now, I should get going tomorrow, y’know… instead of” —I clear my throat— “Monday. I just… I think it’ll be better, and I don’t know…”
Easier.
I’m so busy trying to think of something to say I don’t notice him move from the door to stand directly in front of me. Jack cups my face with both hands, his gentle touch pulling me from my chaotic thoughts.
“If that’s what you want.” He presses his lips together, the look saying what he won’t verbalise. He’s disappointed. I can see it written all over his face.
“Unless you want me to leave now, I can—”
“Stay, Robyn, and if you want to leave in the morning… If that’s what you want, I won’t stop you.”
I swallow thickly, not sure what I want anymore. “This was supposed to be fun.” The words are so quiet I’m not sure I said them at all.
“Was it not?” The corner of his mouth curls up coyly, knowing the answer to that without me even having to say anything.
I don’t want it to end, but I also can’t tell him that. His thumbs graze the apples of my cheeks simultaneously, my breath hitching with how gentle his touch feels now. Nothing compared to how we have handled each other since the moment we agreed to… whatever this is between us. “So beautiful,” he breathes serenely.
“Don’t do that.”
“Do what?” he asks.
