retrieved her jeans and panties from the carpet. “If you don’t mind bringing me my bra, shirt, ankle boots, and socks, I’ll get dressed in your bathroom.”
In the living room downstairs, his mind reeling, Rafe tugged his T-shirt over his head, collected Jillian’s things, and returned to the bedroom. The bathroom door was closed. He knocked. “I have your things.”
The door opened wide enough for her to snatch her stuff before it clicked shut again.
Rafe straightened and remade the bed. Sitting on the edge of it, he smacked his forehead with his palm. Dammit, he hadn’t wanted this awkwardness between them. He certainly hadn’t intended to hurt her.
That’s what he got for letting his crazy lust for her color his judgment.
He figured she wouldn’t want to see him again. He wasn’t happy about that, but the way things stood, keeping a distance seemed the best option.
Still, as future neighbors, they were bound to run into each other. Would they be able to exchange hellos without suffering through uncomfortable stiffness and tension?
Rafe had no idea. He only knew he’d screwed up, big-time.
Chapter Fourteen
‡
A t least she wouldn’t have to pretend she didn’t have deep feelings for Rafe, Jillian consoled herself as she dressed in his bathroom.
Standing at the mirror to smooth her hair, she couldn’t help noting her pink, slightly swollen lips and flushed skin. The image of a thoroughly loved woman.
In the physical sense, she was.
Rafe was waiting for her. Time to quit hiding in here, go out and face him. Ignoring the painful ache in her chest, she opened the door and re-entered the bedroom.
He sprang up from the bed, which, of course, he’d made. The tightly tucked sheets and blanket erased any signs of their passionate afternoon.
He scratched the back of his neck. “I don’t know what to say. Don’t ask me to apologize for what happened. I’m not sorry.”
Neither was Jillian. Making love with Rafe had opened her eyes to the truth—she’d loved him long before today. “You didn’t force me to come here, Rafe. I chose to. There’s nothing more to add, except good-bye.”
“I don’t like leaving things this way.”
Hating the concern in his eyes, she forced a brave smile. “I really am okay.”
After a long, searching look, he gave a terse nod. Jillian headed downstairs, leaving him to follow or not. Of course, he did.
She picked her purse up from the living room floor and searched for the car key for an embarrassingly long time before she finally found it.
“Drive safe,” Rafe said at the front door.
“I will.”
She made her way down the walkway, toward her car. The sinking sun cast long shadows over the new spring grass.
Rafe stayed in the doorway, watching as she slid into the driver’s seat, started the car, and backed away, out of the driveway and his life.
*
Thursday afternoon, Sonia ushered Rafe into her plush office with a big smile. “I can’t wait to show you the preliminary blueprints for the house. How about a cup of coffee and a doughnut?”
After Rafe accepted both, she pulled an extra chair up beside hers and motioned for him to join her at the computer. As he sat down, he caught a whiff of her perfume, a seductive scent meant to stir a man’s interest. He wasn’t interested.
He was still smarting from what had happened after yesterday’s phenomenal sex. The fallout from hell.
It had been almost twenty-four hours since Jillian had left his place, and he felt worse than before. He wondered about Jillian, and whether it was this bad for her.
“Let’s start with the second story.” Sonia tapped the keyboard. “First, a bird’s-eye view of the master suite. You’ll notice that I incorporated the home office on the other side of the master bath, exactly as you requested.”
Rafe nodded. She switched to a more detailed outline of the suite. “The bedroom, bathroom, and office all face Guff’s Lake for a stunning view.” She pointed out
In the living room downstairs, his mind reeling, Rafe tugged his T-shirt over his head, collected Jillian’s things, and returned to the bedroom. The bathroom door was closed. He knocked. “I have your things.”
The door opened wide enough for her to snatch her stuff before it clicked shut again.
Rafe straightened and remade the bed. Sitting on the edge of it, he smacked his forehead with his palm. Dammit, he hadn’t wanted this awkwardness between them. He certainly hadn’t intended to hurt her.
That’s what he got for letting his crazy lust for her color his judgment.
He figured she wouldn’t want to see him again. He wasn’t happy about that, but the way things stood, keeping a distance seemed the best option.
Still, as future neighbors, they were bound to run into each other. Would they be able to exchange hellos without suffering through uncomfortable stiffness and tension?
Rafe had no idea. He only knew he’d screwed up, big-time.
Chapter Fourteen
‡
A t least she wouldn’t have to pretend she didn’t have deep feelings for Rafe, Jillian consoled herself as she dressed in his bathroom.
Standing at the mirror to smooth her hair, she couldn’t help noting her pink, slightly swollen lips and flushed skin. The image of a thoroughly loved woman.
In the physical sense, she was.
Rafe was waiting for her. Time to quit hiding in here, go out and face him. Ignoring the painful ache in her chest, she opened the door and re-entered the bedroom.
He sprang up from the bed, which, of course, he’d made. The tightly tucked sheets and blanket erased any signs of their passionate afternoon.
He scratched the back of his neck. “I don’t know what to say. Don’t ask me to apologize for what happened. I’m not sorry.”
Neither was Jillian. Making love with Rafe had opened her eyes to the truth—she’d loved him long before today. “You didn’t force me to come here, Rafe. I chose to. There’s nothing more to add, except good-bye.”
“I don’t like leaving things this way.”
Hating the concern in his eyes, she forced a brave smile. “I really am okay.”
After a long, searching look, he gave a terse nod. Jillian headed downstairs, leaving him to follow or not. Of course, he did.
She picked her purse up from the living room floor and searched for the car key for an embarrassingly long time before she finally found it.
“Drive safe,” Rafe said at the front door.
“I will.”
She made her way down the walkway, toward her car. The sinking sun cast long shadows over the new spring grass.
Rafe stayed in the doorway, watching as she slid into the driver’s seat, started the car, and backed away, out of the driveway and his life.
*
Thursday afternoon, Sonia ushered Rafe into her plush office with a big smile. “I can’t wait to show you the preliminary blueprints for the house. How about a cup of coffee and a doughnut?”
After Rafe accepted both, she pulled an extra chair up beside hers and motioned for him to join her at the computer. As he sat down, he caught a whiff of her perfume, a seductive scent meant to stir a man’s interest. He wasn’t interested.
He was still smarting from what had happened after yesterday’s phenomenal sex. The fallout from hell.
It had been almost twenty-four hours since Jillian had left his place, and he felt worse than before. He wondered about Jillian, and whether it was this bad for her.
“Let’s start with the second story.” Sonia tapped the keyboard. “First, a bird’s-eye view of the master suite. You’ll notice that I incorporated the home office on the other side of the master bath, exactly as you requested.”
Rafe nodded. She switched to a more detailed outline of the suite. “The bedroom, bathroom, and office all face Guff’s Lake for a stunning view.” She pointed out
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