“How are you feeling, sweetie? Oh, look at those bruises. Your pretty face! Well, they won’t last, will they?”
Sasha knew Rose meant well, but sometimes she was annoying. “I kind of like them, but they will heal.”
“So, they must have found out who did it, right? I saw that sexy detective pack up his vehicle and leave this morning. Kendra says he checked out.”
“He… he checked out?” Sasha’s heart sank.
“Oh, you didn’t know?” Rose smiled from behind her mirrored sunglasses, no doubt thrilled to be the bearer of news. “He left bright and early. I saw him drive away.”
This was news to Sasha—and it hurt.
He’d come to her house to do laundry only yesterday. Why would he do that if he’d planned to return home to Denver?
Sasha knew the answer. He hadn’t originally planned to go back to Denver. He’d left town because of the kiss.
She did her best not to let her emotions show. “I haven’t heard that he solved the case. He must think he’s done what he can here in Scarlet for now.”
“I guess that makes sense. The police have a lot more technology in Denver, right? You take care of yourself. Give me a call when you’d like to start chakra work.”
That would be never, but Sasha didn’t say so. “Thanks, Rose.”
Rose went inside to do her shopping, leaving Sasha to deal with her emotions.
Why hadn’t Darius at least told her he was leaving town? Why hadn’t he said goodbye? Had he felt no connection to her at all?
Then again, why should he? They’d only known each other for five days. What right did she have to put expectations on him? If he thought kissing her had been such a terrible thing, why did she care that he was gone?
Except that shedidcare, because it hadn’t been terrible. It had been wonderful, and not just for Sasha. She knew he’d felt it, too—the connection.
Nicole hurried out, bags in her hands. She put the groceries in the back then climbed into the driver’s seat. She gave Sasha one glance. “What’s wrong? What happened?”
“Darius checked out of the Inn this morning. He left town.”
“What?” Nicole stared at Sasha. “Are you sure?”
“That’s what Rose just told me.”
Nicole looked less than impressed. “Rose has been wrong before.”
“Kendra told her he’d checked out. I’m sure he left because of what happened last night. He said he’d crossed a line with me.”
Nicole put on her seat belt and started the engine. “If he left town because of one little kiss, that makes him a coward. But Darius doesn’t strike me as a coward.”
Chapter14
Darius was a coward.
He’d spent the past hour in traffic, struggling to make sense of his meeting with Chief Irving and raging against what felt like a blatant disregard for the police code of conduct. He’d tried to hold himself accountable, and they hadn’t taken him seriously. But that wasn’t the problem—or not the whole problem, anyway.
This wasn’t about rules. Not really. It was about Sasha.
Darius had kissed her, and what he’d felt for her had scared the hell out of him. He shouldn’t feel anything for her. He’d known Ms. Dillon for less than a week, for God’s sake. He had no business having feelings of any kind for her.
But he did.
And the moment he’d realized that, he’d run.
Damn it.
