her shoulders. She hadn’t wanted him to know though. Maybe she was just frustrated.
His ex had used tears to get what she wanted. But that was Tammy. Maiya, in spite of being like his ex in many ways, was different. He knew on an instinctive level she’d never do something so low. His regret intensified and Ryan cringed. In contrast, she’d tried to hide her tears.
He opened the fridge and stared at the contents—staring but not seeing them. He blinked and pulled out a beer. Dinner had been amazing. Good food and easy conversation, all with an amazing woman—an amazing woman who he’d left naked and crying in her hotel room. Christ, he was an asshole.
The cold brew flowed down his throat and he mulled over the drive from the restaurant to her hotel. The moment had been surreal. He’d held her hand the whole time and soaked up the soft music she harmonized with. Pure splendor, and he hadn’t wanted it to end. With the lights from the freeway and the dashboard reflecting her profile, Maiya had looked like an angel. With a deep sigh, Ryan tossed the empty beer bottle in the recycle bin and headed for the shower.
The water was as hot as he could stand it and he stood under the spray, arms braced on the wall. The steady stream beat on his head and shoulders. Damn, he’d blown it. Maybe he should call her. No. She’d never want to speak to him again, he was sure. He’d deserve her silence after what he’d done.
Curling his hands into fists, he pressed them against the tile. Stupid, stupid, stupid. He shook his head and reached for the soap. After he’d finished cleaning up, he stood a few more minutes under the spray. No amount of soap and water was going to make him feel like less of a dirtbag though.
Ryan climbed into bed. Tomorrow was Friday, and her last day in town. It was for the best she was leaving. He rolled on his side in the empty bed. She was leaving, but he didn’t want her to go.
His last thoughts before he fell asleep were of her and how she’d looked in the hotel bed under the sheets: A red-headed, tattooed angel… With heaven in her eyes, and hell between her legs.
No, he didn’t want her to go…but his son. He needed to remember what was best for Jacob.
Chapter Thirteen
Maiya got an early start on the day, and considering she wasn’t a morning person, was an indication of exactly how much sleep she didn’t get last night. When the alarm clock went off at six, she’d been lying there wide-awake. After packing up and taking a shower, she finished her makeup and hair and then wandered around the room for a few more minutes.
She was stalling.
Sitting on the bed, she did the unthinkable. She called her mother. Mom wasn’t the best person to talk to about her love life, so Maiya had no intention of telling her what was going on. She just needed to hear her voice for a minute and pretend she was still a little girl. “Hi, Mommy.”
“Emmie? Are you home yet?”
“I’m still in Los Angeles. I fly home today. How are you feeling? Have you been eating?”
“Sure, sure.”
Maiya winced as the distinct sound of ice in a glass tinkled in the background. “I’ll be by tomorrow to bring you some groceries.”
“If you want, not sure I’ll be around though.” Her mother coughed.
Apparently the cold she had was hanging on tight. Damn. And, of course, her mother would be there tomorrow. “All right, I’ll see you tomorrow, Mom.”
“Bye, Emmie.” Her rough smoker’s rattle, peppered by the cold, was prevalent through her words.
Maiya sighed. “Bye, Mom.”
Thirty minutes after making it to work, Jodi appeared with two coffees in hand. She handed Maiya one of the cups. “Mornin’, girl.”
“Morning, chica . Thanks.” Maiya sipped the warm brew.
“Let’s go downstairs and smoke. You can tell me what happened.”
“All right. Although I can’t stay down there long. Too much to get done before I jet out.” Maiya stood and grabbed her pack of cigarettes.
They found
His ex had used tears to get what she wanted. But that was Tammy. Maiya, in spite of being like his ex in many ways, was different. He knew on an instinctive level she’d never do something so low. His regret intensified and Ryan cringed. In contrast, she’d tried to hide her tears.
He opened the fridge and stared at the contents—staring but not seeing them. He blinked and pulled out a beer. Dinner had been amazing. Good food and easy conversation, all with an amazing woman—an amazing woman who he’d left naked and crying in her hotel room. Christ, he was an asshole.
The cold brew flowed down his throat and he mulled over the drive from the restaurant to her hotel. The moment had been surreal. He’d held her hand the whole time and soaked up the soft music she harmonized with. Pure splendor, and he hadn’t wanted it to end. With the lights from the freeway and the dashboard reflecting her profile, Maiya had looked like an angel. With a deep sigh, Ryan tossed the empty beer bottle in the recycle bin and headed for the shower.
The water was as hot as he could stand it and he stood under the spray, arms braced on the wall. The steady stream beat on his head and shoulders. Damn, he’d blown it. Maybe he should call her. No. She’d never want to speak to him again, he was sure. He’d deserve her silence after what he’d done.
Curling his hands into fists, he pressed them against the tile. Stupid, stupid, stupid. He shook his head and reached for the soap. After he’d finished cleaning up, he stood a few more minutes under the spray. No amount of soap and water was going to make him feel like less of a dirtbag though.
Ryan climbed into bed. Tomorrow was Friday, and her last day in town. It was for the best she was leaving. He rolled on his side in the empty bed. She was leaving, but he didn’t want her to go.
His last thoughts before he fell asleep were of her and how she’d looked in the hotel bed under the sheets: A red-headed, tattooed angel… With heaven in her eyes, and hell between her legs.
No, he didn’t want her to go…but his son. He needed to remember what was best for Jacob.
Chapter Thirteen
Maiya got an early start on the day, and considering she wasn’t a morning person, was an indication of exactly how much sleep she didn’t get last night. When the alarm clock went off at six, she’d been lying there wide-awake. After packing up and taking a shower, she finished her makeup and hair and then wandered around the room for a few more minutes.
She was stalling.
Sitting on the bed, she did the unthinkable. She called her mother. Mom wasn’t the best person to talk to about her love life, so Maiya had no intention of telling her what was going on. She just needed to hear her voice for a minute and pretend she was still a little girl. “Hi, Mommy.”
“Emmie? Are you home yet?”
“I’m still in Los Angeles. I fly home today. How are you feeling? Have you been eating?”
“Sure, sure.”
Maiya winced as the distinct sound of ice in a glass tinkled in the background. “I’ll be by tomorrow to bring you some groceries.”
“If you want, not sure I’ll be around though.” Her mother coughed.
Apparently the cold she had was hanging on tight. Damn. And, of course, her mother would be there tomorrow. “All right, I’ll see you tomorrow, Mom.”
“Bye, Emmie.” Her rough smoker’s rattle, peppered by the cold, was prevalent through her words.
Maiya sighed. “Bye, Mom.”
Thirty minutes after making it to work, Jodi appeared with two coffees in hand. She handed Maiya one of the cups. “Mornin’, girl.”
“Morning, chica . Thanks.” Maiya sipped the warm brew.
“Let’s go downstairs and smoke. You can tell me what happened.”
“All right. Although I can’t stay down there long. Too much to get done before I jet out.” Maiya stood and grabbed her pack of cigarettes.
They found
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