Page 46 of Worth Loving
“Why?” she asked, trying to figure out what parallel universe she was in.
He waved his hand. “No one is made up all the time. That’s not real.”
Was she looking at this all wrong? “No, it’s not,” she admitted slowly, cautiously as if she was still trying to piece together what was going on.
“So, do I get some of those cookies that I can see cooling in your kitchen?”
She almost said, “sure” but then remembered he left her five days ago and there had been no word since.
“Why don’t you tell me why you are here first?”
“I wanted to see you,” he said. He wasn’t moving closer to her, but she could see he wanted to.
“Not enough to contact me all week?”
“The phone works both ways,” he said.
He was right, but she was new to this and didn’t know what to do. If she had texted him would he have thought she was too clingy? Then after a few days with nothing from him, she decided it was best to just move back to her dull existence.
“It does. But you said you’d be in touch, so I was going by that. And I thought maybe you knew the rules more than me.”
“Rules?” he asked. “Remember, you’re the one who invited me into your bedroom.”
Damn him for pointing that out. Her face turned red. She knew it. It had to have with the way her body felt as if someone lit a match right under her skin.
She crossed her arms, put a firm expression on her face that she hoped she pulled off as determined. “You didn’t say no.”
“What guy would?” he said, laughing.
There was no use arguing with him. She’d like to think plenty would say no, but the truth was she had no clue.
“So you said you had a family emergency?” she said. “I hope Jonah is okay.”
“He is and thanks for asking. I appreciate that. My sister showed up unannounced. Matter of fact, she showed up when I was at work, and working late, and Carly let her in after she checked with me, if she could do it.”
“She had to check in to let your sister in the house?”
He shrugged. “I’m not that close to my family and I’m not originally from here.”
Interesting. Did they have that in common with their family? “Same here. I mean I’m from here but I told you I’ve got siblings and my mother and I aren’t that close. My father passed years ago.”
“I feel the same way about Willow and my parents. Not close at all. Anyway, it’s always drama with her and it was again. She stayed four days before she had enough and then went back home. So that was yesterday. First chance I could get, I was here. Doesn’t that count for something?”
She didn’t want to cave, but the charming grin he was sending her said she might.
“I suppose,” she said. “I’m still reserving judgment.”
He laughed. She wasn’t really joking but maybe he thought she was.
“And then it was the holiday and things always pick up over the summer to begin with. I’ve had some staff out sick and working nights, which I hate to do too much of, but do work Friday nights. These are excuses, but they are also the truth. I guess I missed you more than I thought I would.”
Her heart shouldn’t be racing over hearing that. Especially because she wasn’t positive he wasn’t just missing the sex.
“Not enough to at least text me.”
He let out a sigh. “You’ve got me there. I picked my phone up a few times to do it. I really did. Then I’d put it back down. I know you were hurt by what I said before I left. You can argue allyou want, but I’m not stupid. I saw it in your eyes. I saw it in your actions. I’m not used to hurting people, even if I don’t like them.”
“I’m not sure if I was hurt more than surprised. I don’t know what I was. It wasn’t like you said anything horrible. It’s just...”
