He rose from his chair and approached her. With every step closer, his stomach knotted tighter and he regretted his situation a little more. She was so tempting. She was quite possibly the perfect woman. But she was also an unknown quantity. They barely knew each other. That made her dangerous. It was one thing to put his heart on the line, but he wouldn’t do that to Delia. “I do need to take a shower, but I wanted to talk first.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck, digging her fingers into his nape. Her nakedness was so distracting—every part of her that he wanted to touch was mere inches away. “What do you want to talk about?” She popped up onto her tiptoes and kissed his neck.
His hands reflexively went to her hips, and the instant his skin touched hers, the battle inside his body was reborn. His need for her was fiery and intense, making every drop of blood race to the center of his body. He wanted her so badly he couldn’t see straight. “Us. Last night.”
“It was amazing,” she whispered into his ear.
“It was. It absolutely was. But we didn’t talk about our personal situations before clothes started to come off, and getting that call from Miranda and Delia just now only reminded me that I have other people to worry about other than myself.”
“Oh. Okay.” She dropped back down to her flat feet and stepped back from him. “I guess we could talk about it now.”
“My situation is complicated. Which is why I fought my attraction to you. I can’t get involved with someone. It’s not that easy. I need to focus on Delia’s happiness. She’s been through so much.”
Astrid walked over to the vanity and grabbed a towel, wrapping it around her body. “Of course. I understand.”
But did she? Really? She didn’t know the harsh truths of his past, and he intended it to stay that way. “And then there’s work. You and I both know what the rumor mill is like in that office. If anyone gets wind of this, it’ll be all anyone talks about. You have a financial stake in the company and so does my sister. Can you see how this isn’t a great idea?”
Astrid’s face fell, but she very quickly forced a smile on her face. “Don’t take everything so seriously, Clay. This was just a little sex between friends. No big deal.”
“Are you sure?” Nothing in her expression matched her words.
“Yes. You worry too much. I’ve told you that before.” She patted him on the shoulder. “I’ll take a shower in my own bathroom.”
Clay swallowed hard, realizing what he had just passed up. I’m either super smart or a complete idiot. “Ready to go in an hour?”
“I can do that.” She nodded and started for the door.
“Do you want me to call down to room service and order coffee? Maybe some pastries?” He was so pathetic, trying to ply her with sweets.
“It’s okay. I’m not hungry.” With that, she disappeared.
Clay sighed and walked into his bathroom, planting both hands on the vanity and staring at his own reflection. How had everything gone so upside down? Last night, he’d been on top of the world. And that wasn’t merely because of the award. Astrid had made him feel alive in ways he hadn’t experienced in a very long time.
But his needs and wants weren’t what was most important. This was a question of priorities. He and Astrid had work to accomplish together. And Clay had a daughter and his heart to protect.
As soon as Astrid stepped out of Clay’s bedroom, she was confronted by too many reminders of last night. The champagne in the bucket, still not consumed and probably room temperature by now. Her diamond pendant on the table, the one that Johnathon had given her so many years ago. And last, there was Clay’s tux and her dress, intermingled on the floor. She might have had the time of her life last night, but now it was the next, very depressing day.
She gathered the necklace, her gown and her undies from the floor and carried them into her room, tossing them onto the still-made bed. She was angry, frustrated and confused, but she was not going to allow her hopes to be crushed by a man. She’d been through that routine hundreds of times during her marriage to Johnathon. It might be a well-worn path, but she was damned if she was going to get back on it. It didn’t matter that the man putting her on notice was Clay, and that she’d wanted him from the moment she’d met him. She’d had her taste and now he was taking that away. It was his choice. Now she needed to think about her own choices. What did she want? And how was she going to get it?
In the bathroom, she waited for a moment to let the shower heat up, then stepped inside. With multiple spray heads, the hot water hit her from all angles. She tried to think of it as therapeutic, washing away the remnants of last night. It had been unbelievably gratifying, both emotionally and physically, but it was over now. There would be no breathless kisses, sexy glances, or flirtation from Astrid. Clay had shut the door and she planned to go out of her way to stay on the other side. Instead, she needed to focus on the one thing she’d done so little of in her first thirty-two years on the planet—figuring out what she truly wanted. Love, family, and career had always been atop the list, and she couldn’t deny that those things made real sense in her heart and mind. It was simply time to redouble her efforts.
Clean and shampooed, Astrid shut off the water and climbed out of the shower, wrapping herself up in two of the hotel’s fluffy white towels. She took the hair dryer and aimed it at the mirror full-blast to
