Chapter 3
So That’s It Then?
Ari
With Logan still dead asleep in his bed, I tiptoed around the room to grab all of my discarded clothing, which had been scattered around on the floor. I quickly got dressed in the bathroom and slipped out the door without a word.
I wasn’t a stranger to the one-night stand and figured he would be relieved to not have to have the awkward morning-after conversation that would ultimately commence if I stayed.
Upon returning to my own room, I checked my phone, which I had left on the charger the night before, and I saw a missed call from my sister from only a few minutes earlier.
It only rang once before her cheery voice was greeting me from the other end of the line.
“Morning, sis,” she sang out. “How was the rest of your night?”
“Not as good as yours, I hope,” I responded while filling up the coffee pot with water.
She giggled. “I just couldn’t wait until we got back from Europe to hear what ended up happening with Logan.”
The sound of the droning airport announcements played in the background as I lied to Josie. “Nothing to report on my end. I hope you have the best time on your honeymoon. Don’t forget to leave the hotel room at least a little to sightsee and eat some amazing food.”
“I’ll drag it out of you eventually, one way or another. We’re about to board the plane. I love you.”
“Love you too. Say hi to Roger for me.”
“Will do.”
I threw my phone onto my bed as the coffeemaker gurgled away, sending the most amazing aroma into the small room. Sitting down to check emails about dungeon glitches and drop rate reconfigurations with a paper cup full of java, I couldn’t stay focused on work. My mind wandered back to the night before, the toe-curling pleasure, how sweet Logan had turned out to be, how extremely attractive his six-pack was.
Should I have left my number?
I didn’t have expectations. I knew what the previous night had been—a fling. He could tell me until he was blue in the face that he wasn’t that type of guy, but weren’t they all deep down?
I did the right thing.
I pulled up coding notes I needed to work on and tried to make some headway before checkout. Just as I was about to log into my account to try to figure out where exactly a boss glitch was happening in the new expansion we were under the gun to roll out, a gentle tap sounded on the door.
I nearly jumped out of my skin before rushing to see who could be there so early in the morning.
Logan had two cups of coffee and croissants on a tray as his panty-melting smile met me with sleepy eyes.
“How’d you find my room?” I asked as he invited himself in.
“You’d be surprised what a little sweet-talking and a twenty can get you at a front desk.” He set the tray down next to my laptop before taking a seat. “You didn’t give me much of a choice, sneaking out while I pretended to be asleep.”
I pulled my hair up into a messy bun, completely mortified. “I thought it was for the best.”
“Last night wasn’t just a hookup for me, Ari. I hope you know that.”
“It was for me.” The sharpness of my tone even startled me as I slammed my laptop shut and started to shove it into its bag.
“So that’s it then? We have an incredible night together, we seem to really hit it off, and then you run and I’m just supposed to accept that?” Crossing his arms, he glared at me.
I pulled a chair out and fell into it with a huff. “What more can this be? I live twenty minutes from here, and you live over in Durham. Are we supposed to spend our weekends driving back and forth trying to work something out until you have to report to training this summer and be married to the game and I am left to just twiddle my thumbs before inevitably getting my heart broken by the football star I spent a few captivating months with?”
“What if we just took it a day at a time? We see each other whenever we want or can and go from there. We don’t need strings or titles.”
“So be fuck buddies? Is that your suggestion?” I scoffed before chugging more of my now-lukewarm coffee.
