He was a man of many surprises. No question about that. “That was incredible.” She sighed, drinking in his smell and still not quite believing this had happened. She’d fantasized about it so many times, but to her great surprise, her mind hadn’t managed to make it anywhere close to this good.
Seven
Clay woke with a hum of satisfaction in his body and the pleasing warmth of Astrid’s even breaths on his chest. Her head rested on his shoulder, silky hair draped on his arm, a delicate hand on his stomach, and long leg wrapped around his. He was blissfully aware of the press of her soft breasts against his rib cage, and of the velvety contours of her lower back as he settled his own hand there. It had been a long time since he’d experienced this much closeness with a woman, and he was a man divided against himself because of it. The sunnier parts of him could get used to this. But his more pragmatic side was fighting against that, telling him to run. It was an insidious loop to be stuck in. His past had worn a rut in his thinking, but there was certainty in remaining romantically unattached. There was safety there. For himself, but more importantly, for his daughter.
Still, Astrid was simply amazing. Last night had been electrifying, their physical connection intense. He wanted more of what they’d shared, but that was the irrational part of his brain whispering that it would be okay to wade back into these waters. The truth was that he couldn’t put life on pause. They were about to drive back to San Diego in a few hours. He would spend his weekend with Delia. He and Astrid would return to work on Monday. And they had just managed to make their professional relationship even more complicated. He’d made a mistake, and now he had to fix it.
He was mulling over how to address this with Astrid when his phone rang. He glanced at the clock on the bedside table. It was nine a.m. This was likely Miranda and Delia.
“Astrid. I need to get this call.” He uncoiled himself from her and scrambled across the room for his phone. To make matters worse, it was a video call. He pressed Accept, but left the phone facing up, so the only view Delia and Miranda would get would be of the ceiling. “Hey, guys. What’s up?” He quickly put on his boxers, then grabbed the jeans he’d packed from his suitcase.
“Why are we looking at a ceiling?” Miranda asked.
Across the room, Astrid was sitting up in bed, pushing her messy hair back from her face. How was she so damn beautiful, even first thing in the morning?
“Sorry,” Clay said. “I’m putting on a shirt. I just got out of bed.” He held a finger to his lips to silently beg Astrid to be quiet.
“We called to say congratulations,” Miranda said. “We were surprised you didn’t call us last night, but Tara texted me to say she was excited that you won.”
Guilt washed over him. He’d reached his pinnacle and hadn’t thought to call the two most important people in the world. Now that he was dressed, he picked up his phone and looked at the screen. There were Delia and Miranda, sitting on the sofa in her living room. “I’m so sorry. There was a big party afterward and so many people. I just didn’t have a spare minute to myself.” He hated that little white lie. He had totally fallen down on the job by not calling them last night. This was the perfect illustration of how much he allowed himself to be distracted by Astrid. He lost all coherent thought when he was with her.
“Party?” Miranda asked, seeming incredulous. “You hate parties.”
“You do hate parties,” Astrid whispered to him as she climbed out of bed. “Don’t lie about it.”
Clay shushed her.
“Did you just shush me?” Miranda asked.
“I don’t always hate them,” Clay shot back as Astrid walked up to him, completely naked. Her body was so incredible it made his head swim—her rounded hips, her lovely breasts, and her lush bottom. She was a feast for the senses. He was not sated. And he had to get over it.
“Daddy, when are you coming home?” Delia asked.
Clay glanced at Astrid as she walked away from him to the bathroom, wagging her hips with every step. Never? Is that a valid answer? “Soon, honey. Soon. I need to shower and pack up and grab some breakfast. I should be back a little after lunchtime.”
“So Aunt Miranda and I can go swimming?”
“Take your time,” Miranda said with a quick arch of her eyebrows. Was she on to him? He never should have asked for advice about Astrid. He never should have put the thought in his sister’s head. He’d hoped she could help him straighten out his thinking, but she’d had to go and muddy the waters with that stuff about staying open to the idea of love. That was an easier prospect for Miranda. She’d lost the person she loved by a cruel twist of fate. He’d had to find out that he’d married and had a child with someone he’d read all wrong. That mistake would always hang over his head.
“Love you both,” he said.
“Love you, too,” Miranda and Delia said in response.
Clay ended the call, his heart and conscience heavy.
He looked up to see Astrid standing in the doorway to the bathroom, leaning against the frame, her glorious body on full display. “Did I hear something about a shower?” She punctuated the question with a subtle pout.
He knew that what he was about to say would come out badly, but he also didn’t want to lead Astrid down a path where he wasn’t clear about his intentions. She deserved better than that. He wasn’t about to be the man who took what he wanted and then ended it all. It wouldn’t be
