hair. “Everything’s riding on what happens today with Lorraine.”
With Lorraine, not with her. Cassy wasn’t disappointed, she wasn’t. He had priorities. Hadn’t she herself worked like a dog toward this day for the past three weeks? Still, he hadn’t even said good morning, let alone kissed her yet. It was as though he’d flipped a switch from lover to workmates and he’d forgotten everything they’d shared last night and earlier this morning. She knew what he was like. She’d counseled him through countless girlfriends-gone-wrong. When he had work on his mind, nothing and no one else came on his radar. Even so, it hurt.
“Speaking of riding, why are you getting dressed in your good pants and shirt?” she asked. “You’ll just have to change again.”
“Have you looked outside? It’s raining.”
“Since when did a little rain stop you from getting on a mountain bike?” She twisted in bed and leaned over to pull back the curtains. The sky was a heavy dark gray, the mountain on the other side of the river almost invisible behind thick sheets of rain. “Oh.”
“Even if I was crazy enough to go out in that I wouldn’t risk taking a novice on the trails, let alone a potential investor.” Scott stuffed his shirt into his pants and reached for his socks and shoes. “Lorraine wouldn’t thank me if she broke her neck on a muddy trail.”
He slipped his wallet into his back pocket. “How do I look? Do you think I need a tie?”
“Not for breakfast.” Cassy rolled out of bed, draping the sheet around her body, and padded over to him. She straightened his collar. His eyes were shadowed from lack of sleep and there were tired creases around the corners of his mouth. She stood on her toes to kiss him lightly. “You look wonderful.”
“Thanks.”
He didn’t kiss her back. Didn’t even smile.
She rocked back on her heels. He was nervous, that’s all. As he said, his future was riding on today. She tried again, sliding a hand up his shirtfront. “Last night was amazing.”
He wouldn’t meet her gaze. Gently he removed her hand, gave it a brief squeeze, and released. “I should go. We can talk later.”
Talk? That wasn’t quite what she had in mind.
“Okay.” She tried to catch his eye but he was already moving away from her. Suddenly she felt awkward, standing there nearly naked. “I’d better get dressed.”
“See you downstairs.”
The door closed behind him. She stood there, clutching her sheet for a good thirty seconds while she struggled with feelings of rejection. Did he regret making love to her? Was that it? Wham, bang, thank you ma’am? Had she just had a one-night stand with the man she’d waited all her life to be with? Surely it wasn’t possible that their fling was over in one night.
Then it struck her. She didn’t want a fling with Scott. She wanted forever. And he…well, she didn’t have a clue what he wanted despite all that mumbo jumbo about body/soul connection. Whatever he’d meant, it didn’t look as if it included a relationship with her.
In the shower a few tears slipped out as she scrubbed his scent off her skin. What had last night been about for him? Satisfying his curiosity? Finding release from nervous anxiety? She knew he cared about her. They were friends. Or had that changed? The Scott she knew and loved would never have left her hanging like that. Sex was a game changer. And when it came to her and Scott, she didn’t know the rules. Until this morning she would never have stood in front of him naked, fixed his collar like some old-fashioned girlfriend, and made a coy reference to their sexual antics.
But she hadn’t meant to be coy. She’d been sincere. Last night had been amazing. At least to her. Was it just the norm for him? Or worse, had the sex been mediocre? She winced. Oh, God! What if he regretted it because she was no good in bed? What if, even as he cruised through the breakfast buffet, he was trying to think of some nice way
With Lorraine, not with her. Cassy wasn’t disappointed, she wasn’t. He had priorities. Hadn’t she herself worked like a dog toward this day for the past three weeks? Still, he hadn’t even said good morning, let alone kissed her yet. It was as though he’d flipped a switch from lover to workmates and he’d forgotten everything they’d shared last night and earlier this morning. She knew what he was like. She’d counseled him through countless girlfriends-gone-wrong. When he had work on his mind, nothing and no one else came on his radar. Even so, it hurt.
“Speaking of riding, why are you getting dressed in your good pants and shirt?” she asked. “You’ll just have to change again.”
“Have you looked outside? It’s raining.”
“Since when did a little rain stop you from getting on a mountain bike?” She twisted in bed and leaned over to pull back the curtains. The sky was a heavy dark gray, the mountain on the other side of the river almost invisible behind thick sheets of rain. “Oh.”
“Even if I was crazy enough to go out in that I wouldn’t risk taking a novice on the trails, let alone a potential investor.” Scott stuffed his shirt into his pants and reached for his socks and shoes. “Lorraine wouldn’t thank me if she broke her neck on a muddy trail.”
He slipped his wallet into his back pocket. “How do I look? Do you think I need a tie?”
“Not for breakfast.” Cassy rolled out of bed, draping the sheet around her body, and padded over to him. She straightened his collar. His eyes were shadowed from lack of sleep and there were tired creases around the corners of his mouth. She stood on her toes to kiss him lightly. “You look wonderful.”
“Thanks.”
He didn’t kiss her back. Didn’t even smile.
She rocked back on her heels. He was nervous, that’s all. As he said, his future was riding on today. She tried again, sliding a hand up his shirtfront. “Last night was amazing.”
He wouldn’t meet her gaze. Gently he removed her hand, gave it a brief squeeze, and released. “I should go. We can talk later.”
Talk? That wasn’t quite what she had in mind.
“Okay.” She tried to catch his eye but he was already moving away from her. Suddenly she felt awkward, standing there nearly naked. “I’d better get dressed.”
“See you downstairs.”
The door closed behind him. She stood there, clutching her sheet for a good thirty seconds while she struggled with feelings of rejection. Did he regret making love to her? Was that it? Wham, bang, thank you ma’am? Had she just had a one-night stand with the man she’d waited all her life to be with? Surely it wasn’t possible that their fling was over in one night.
Then it struck her. She didn’t want a fling with Scott. She wanted forever. And he…well, she didn’t have a clue what he wanted despite all that mumbo jumbo about body/soul connection. Whatever he’d meant, it didn’t look as if it included a relationship with her.
In the shower a few tears slipped out as she scrubbed his scent off her skin. What had last night been about for him? Satisfying his curiosity? Finding release from nervous anxiety? She knew he cared about her. They were friends. Or had that changed? The Scott she knew and loved would never have left her hanging like that. Sex was a game changer. And when it came to her and Scott, she didn’t know the rules. Until this morning she would never have stood in front of him naked, fixed his collar like some old-fashioned girlfriend, and made a coy reference to their sexual antics.
But she hadn’t meant to be coy. She’d been sincere. Last night had been amazing. At least to her. Was it just the norm for him? Or worse, had the sex been mediocre? She winced. Oh, God! What if he regretted it because she was no good in bed? What if, even as he cruised through the breakfast buffet, he was trying to think of some nice way
Similar Books
