hand he extended and slipped out, making sure not to touch him.
He got her suitcase from the back. She reached for it. He shook his head. “I’ll carry it inside.”
“That’s not necessary, Jefferson.”
“I know, but I just want to do it.”
She shrugged. “Thanks.”
He used his remote to lock the SUV’s door and arm the alarm before he followed her inside. Her condo was on the third floor. He followed her inside, setting her suitcase just inside the door.
She hesitated before turning to look at him.
“Are you sorry?” He hadn’t meant to ask the question and was annoyed with himself.
She smiled and shook her head. “No. Are you?”
He looked at her; her hair was in its usual, unassuming bun. What had happened to the uninhibited woman who had given him one of the most incredible weekends of his life? “No.” He felt awkward because he wanted to kiss her but knew that was out of the question.
She took off her jacket and held it over one arm. “I’d offer you coffee, but all I have is instant and I’m really tired.”
And longing to be rid of him. He nodded. “Okay. I’ll see you in the office in the morning.”
She nodded. “I’ll be there.”
He stuffed his hands into his jacket pockets and looked at her. He really wanted a last kiss. There was nothing in her cool gaze to indicate she would welcome that. He sighed and headed for the door.
She followed and he turned to look down at her. She met his gaze briefly before looking away. He bent his head.
She placed a hand against his shoulder, shaking her head. “Good night, Jefferson.”
“What will one last kiss hurt?” He didn’t wait for her reply, but leaned down and pressed his lips against the corner of her mouth. She made a soft sound and turned to face him, slipping her arms around his neck.
He licked her lips, holding her close. “Can I spend the night?”
She shuddered against him. “No.”
“Okay. How about a few hours? I promise I won’t stay long. I just want one last... kiss.”
“You just had one.” She drew her mouth away from his. “We agreed once we were home we’d go back to normal, Jefferson. We’re home and we don’t normally sleep together.”
He swallowed, thoughts of one last night with her filling him with a feverish longing. “We could do normal tomorrow when we get to work.”
“Or we could stick to our agreement and do it now.” She pushed against his shoulders.
“Sharde–”
“Jeff! Please.”
Sighing, he released her.
She walked to the door and held it open. “The weekend’s over.”
“Didn’t you enjoy it?”
“You know I did, but we had an agreement and we need to stick to it.”
“Why?”
“Because that’s the only way this will work.”
He shook his head. “We’ve been very close for eight of the nine years we’ve known each other. We can make anything we want to work.”
“Right now you’re thinking with your cock and that always gets you in trouble, Jeff.”
“What the hell is that suppose to mean?”
She closed her eyes briefly. “I’m sorry. That comment was way out of line.”
“Damn right it was.”
“We’re both tired and saying and thinking things we shouldn’t. Let’s say good night while we’re still friends.”
“Friendship is overrated.” Annoyed that he’d be going to bed with blue balls, he turned to leave.
She touched his arm. “Jeff, please... don’t leave angry... not after we shared such a great weekend.”
“I’m more horny and frustrated than I am angry.”
“You set the rules.” She squeezed his arm. “Good night.”
“Good night, honey.”
He left and she closed the door. He stood waiting until he heard her locks sliding into place. Then feeling as if he’d been kicked to the curb, he left the building. He drove home, had a couple of hot dogs and several beers, took a shower, and went to bed. He lay awake for a long time thinking of Sharde before he finally drifted to sleep.
* * * * *
The next morning, after
He got her suitcase from the back. She reached for it. He shook his head. “I’ll carry it inside.”
“That’s not necessary, Jefferson.”
“I know, but I just want to do it.”
She shrugged. “Thanks.”
He used his remote to lock the SUV’s door and arm the alarm before he followed her inside. Her condo was on the third floor. He followed her inside, setting her suitcase just inside the door.
She hesitated before turning to look at him.
“Are you sorry?” He hadn’t meant to ask the question and was annoyed with himself.
She smiled and shook her head. “No. Are you?”
He looked at her; her hair was in its usual, unassuming bun. What had happened to the uninhibited woman who had given him one of the most incredible weekends of his life? “No.” He felt awkward because he wanted to kiss her but knew that was out of the question.
She took off her jacket and held it over one arm. “I’d offer you coffee, but all I have is instant and I’m really tired.”
And longing to be rid of him. He nodded. “Okay. I’ll see you in the office in the morning.”
She nodded. “I’ll be there.”
He stuffed his hands into his jacket pockets and looked at her. He really wanted a last kiss. There was nothing in her cool gaze to indicate she would welcome that. He sighed and headed for the door.
She followed and he turned to look down at her. She met his gaze briefly before looking away. He bent his head.
She placed a hand against his shoulder, shaking her head. “Good night, Jefferson.”
“What will one last kiss hurt?” He didn’t wait for her reply, but leaned down and pressed his lips against the corner of her mouth. She made a soft sound and turned to face him, slipping her arms around his neck.
He licked her lips, holding her close. “Can I spend the night?”
She shuddered against him. “No.”
“Okay. How about a few hours? I promise I won’t stay long. I just want one last... kiss.”
“You just had one.” She drew her mouth away from his. “We agreed once we were home we’d go back to normal, Jefferson. We’re home and we don’t normally sleep together.”
He swallowed, thoughts of one last night with her filling him with a feverish longing. “We could do normal tomorrow when we get to work.”
“Or we could stick to our agreement and do it now.” She pushed against his shoulders.
“Sharde–”
“Jeff! Please.”
Sighing, he released her.
She walked to the door and held it open. “The weekend’s over.”
“Didn’t you enjoy it?”
“You know I did, but we had an agreement and we need to stick to it.”
“Why?”
“Because that’s the only way this will work.”
He shook his head. “We’ve been very close for eight of the nine years we’ve known each other. We can make anything we want to work.”
“Right now you’re thinking with your cock and that always gets you in trouble, Jeff.”
“What the hell is that suppose to mean?”
She closed her eyes briefly. “I’m sorry. That comment was way out of line.”
“Damn right it was.”
“We’re both tired and saying and thinking things we shouldn’t. Let’s say good night while we’re still friends.”
“Friendship is overrated.” Annoyed that he’d be going to bed with blue balls, he turned to leave.
She touched his arm. “Jeff, please... don’t leave angry... not after we shared such a great weekend.”
“I’m more horny and frustrated than I am angry.”
“You set the rules.” She squeezed his arm. “Good night.”
“Good night, honey.”
He left and she closed the door. He stood waiting until he heard her locks sliding into place. Then feeling as if he’d been kicked to the curb, he left the building. He drove home, had a couple of hot dogs and several beers, took a shower, and went to bed. He lay awake for a long time thinking of Sharde before he finally drifted to sleep.
* * * * *
The next morning, after
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