“Be right back,” he said before dropping a quick kiss on her left butt cheek and moving off the bed.
The sound of the bathroom door closing had her thinking she should probably get up, get dressed and head to her room before he returned. But when she flopped onto her back, the itchy feeling easing over her skin signaled a warning.
If she left, would that seem like running?
Admittedly, that had been the ultimate deciding factor in agreeing to this weekend with him. Of course, she hadn’t said that to him, nor had she really allowed herself to dwell on it, but now here it was, manifesting itself in physical reactions that her therapist advised was her body’s external warning system. Folding her arms over her chest, she ran her hands up and down her biceps, trying desperately to ease the discomfort.
She wasn’t running, not again. That wasn’t the answer to whatever was making her feel the need to bolt—it wasn’t totally clear to her what that was yet. It couldn’t be fear of anyone finding out what she and Maurice had done, because he’d been on point when he’d vehemently declared it was none of anybody’s business. On the other hand, she wasn’t the one in the media spotlight on a daily basis. Still, if he could push that obstacle to the side, she could, too.
Going back to her own room would give her space to reason with all these thoughts, to sort them out and get a grip on what was happening before tomorrow morning. She wasn’t going to run out on the weekend: she’d already agreed to stay, and she wanted to stay. But space, yeah, that might be good, and when she saw Maurice again, she’d be in control of her thoughts and her body once more. She was just sitting up, about to throw her legs over the side of the bed and get moving, when the bathroom door opened.
“You need anything? Something to drink, maybe? There’s a fully stocked fridge over there.” He came out naked, talking and walking around the room until he found the boxer briefs he’d been wearing.
She watched him push each leg through and pull them up over muscled thighs. When they covered his still semi-erect dick, she licked her lips. “Yeah. Um, I’m a little thirsty.”
Thankfully, his back was to her by now, and he couldn’t see her thirst went well beyond the I need a drink stage. Since a stealth getaway was obviously out of the question now, she slid off the bed and tiptoed around until she found her underwear. She pulled on her lace panties and grabbed her bra, hurriedly fixing the clasp. Just as she was about to turn the matching lace material around and slip the straps onto her shoulders, he was there.
“Here, take this and let me help you with that.”
The heat circling her body at his proximity was weird. She’d stood next to Maurice a kazillion times at the office, at a runway show, during last night’s dinner at the Golds’ house. Her body had never reacted to him this way before.
“I got it.” She didn’t step away from him as she wanted to, but she did continue situating her bra, the way she did every day of her life without his help. Turning to face him then, she accepted the canned soda he offered. “Thanks.”
She opened the drink, took a deep gulp and then reminded herself she was cutting down on her soda intake. He had a can, too, but his was beer and he chugged away, just like she’d done. Apparently, he was thirsty, too.
“Normally, I’m a go-all-night kinda guy,” he started as soon as he’d finished his beer and tossed the can into the trash. “But I was up late last night and then early this morning to take care of a few things before jumping on the road. So I’m gonna crash. You’re welcome to join me.”
He’d walked past her while he talked. He seemed to be moving a lot. She wasn’t totally sure what that was about, so she took another drink. “Or I can go back to my room? Is that the option you’d prefer?” Because his offer sounded like it wasn’t really an offer, rather like it was something he’d say to one of the women he could take or leave. Why that irritated her she wasn’t sure.
In bed already, he pulled the sheets up and folded his arms over his bare chest. “Honestly, it’s been a very long time since I’ve slept with a woman. I mean, actually lay in a bed all night and slept with her.”
Well, there was her answer. “I understand.”
He didn’t want her to sleep in here with him tonight. Turning, she went to grab her dress. She wasn’t dealing with the garter and nylons again, so she just pushed them into her purse. She gathered the dress in her hands so she could slip it over her head, but she gasped when he also grabbed hold of it, now standing in front of her.
“This weekend will probably be the first of a lot of things, for both of us,” he said, staring at her intently. “We might as well start with sleeping in the same bed.”
She could tug on the dress, and he’d let it go. He’d watch her put it on and walk out the door without trying to stop her, because that’s the type of guy he was. Maurice didn’t push, not even at work. He stated his case, proved his point and moved on. For those smart enough to follow his lead, it paid
