her’ analogy that angered her the most. The bottom line was she had blown it, but the least he could do was be honest with her and just admit that it had never been meant to be anything but a quick fling, and stop all the guilty rhetoric.
She was a fool.
Of course he wouldn’t want her long-term—she was old. He was still in his prime, probably wanted kids, a family, and she had already done that.
When had she forgotten about their age differences, social differences? She had known them last night, had reminded herself not to get attached. Why had she not heeded her own words? Why had she let herself get carried away by the moment? This wasn’t some romantic novel where the hero fell for the heroine at first glance. This was real life. Laura shut her eyes, broke the connection that she had mistakenly felt was between them.
She needed to pull herself together. Her pride would not let her show him how much he had hurt her. How much she had let herself be hurt was probably fairer. She had made it through life without a man and one night was not going to change that. She was strong. She would survive, learn from this experience and maybe one day trust a man again. If she could be bothered!
She turned from him and rolled from the bed. As she stood, she snatched up the robe that lay over the chair, then quickly donned it, hoping that the fabric would help shield her from her pain. The idea of being nude when her heart was breaking was just too much for Laura to bear.
“That’s okay, Trevor. I don’t know what got into me. Of course I wouldn’t expect anything from you. We had a lovely date and you have been very gallant, accompanying me home to face Mitchell. But you’re right—we all have too much baggage in our lives to get into any messy kind of relationship.” Laura could feel her heart tearing. The pressure on her chest was unbearable, the moisture behind her eyes had started to build. She had to get Trevor out of her house, and fast, before she broke down. Her humiliation was already a heavy burden and she wasn’t about to add to the load.
“Well, I’m sure you have things to do. I know I have—paperwork, rosters and things like that. Maybe we should both get on with our days. Thanks for dinner and breakfast and everything. I’ll see you around. I’m just going to grab a shower. Do you think you can let yourself out?”
She spared a quick glance towards her bed, could not stop herself from having one last look at the man lying there. He might have blindsided her with his words, but he was still a sight to behold, naked and sex-rumpled in her sheets.
She was surprised to see what appeared to be a look of uncertainty on his face. Trevor’s mouth gaped open, as if he was trying to find the right words, but she didn’t want to hear any more patronising excuses from him. Didn’t think she could keep from weeping if he tried. So before he had a chance to speak, Laura fled from the room.
Once safely inside her bathroom, the door firmly closed behind her, Laura slid down to sit on the cold tiles of the floor, the chill nothing compared to the ice in her heart. She finally let go, let the misery and humiliation free, using a towel to muffle any sound of her distress.
She didn’t hear any noise that indicated Trevor’s departure from her home and heart, but considering her face had been stuffed against a towel that was not surprising. Finally, after the tears began to slow, then dry on her cheeks, Laura dragged her spent body from the floor. Turning on the shower, she stepped under the stream of warm water and tried to wash away some of the pain. Mitchell would be home soon, and the last thing she wanted was for her son to see her in such distress. Especially since her distress was of her own making. She had let romantic fantasies cloud reality. She didn’t want Mitchell blaming Trevor or doing anything that might impact on his rugby league, and feuding with a reporter would probably not be a great
She was a fool.
Of course he wouldn’t want her long-term—she was old. He was still in his prime, probably wanted kids, a family, and she had already done that.
When had she forgotten about their age differences, social differences? She had known them last night, had reminded herself not to get attached. Why had she not heeded her own words? Why had she let herself get carried away by the moment? This wasn’t some romantic novel where the hero fell for the heroine at first glance. This was real life. Laura shut her eyes, broke the connection that she had mistakenly felt was between them.
She needed to pull herself together. Her pride would not let her show him how much he had hurt her. How much she had let herself be hurt was probably fairer. She had made it through life without a man and one night was not going to change that. She was strong. She would survive, learn from this experience and maybe one day trust a man again. If she could be bothered!
She turned from him and rolled from the bed. As she stood, she snatched up the robe that lay over the chair, then quickly donned it, hoping that the fabric would help shield her from her pain. The idea of being nude when her heart was breaking was just too much for Laura to bear.
“That’s okay, Trevor. I don’t know what got into me. Of course I wouldn’t expect anything from you. We had a lovely date and you have been very gallant, accompanying me home to face Mitchell. But you’re right—we all have too much baggage in our lives to get into any messy kind of relationship.” Laura could feel her heart tearing. The pressure on her chest was unbearable, the moisture behind her eyes had started to build. She had to get Trevor out of her house, and fast, before she broke down. Her humiliation was already a heavy burden and she wasn’t about to add to the load.
“Well, I’m sure you have things to do. I know I have—paperwork, rosters and things like that. Maybe we should both get on with our days. Thanks for dinner and breakfast and everything. I’ll see you around. I’m just going to grab a shower. Do you think you can let yourself out?”
She spared a quick glance towards her bed, could not stop herself from having one last look at the man lying there. He might have blindsided her with his words, but he was still a sight to behold, naked and sex-rumpled in her sheets.
She was surprised to see what appeared to be a look of uncertainty on his face. Trevor’s mouth gaped open, as if he was trying to find the right words, but she didn’t want to hear any more patronising excuses from him. Didn’t think she could keep from weeping if he tried. So before he had a chance to speak, Laura fled from the room.
Once safely inside her bathroom, the door firmly closed behind her, Laura slid down to sit on the cold tiles of the floor, the chill nothing compared to the ice in her heart. She finally let go, let the misery and humiliation free, using a towel to muffle any sound of her distress.
She didn’t hear any noise that indicated Trevor’s departure from her home and heart, but considering her face had been stuffed against a towel that was not surprising. Finally, after the tears began to slow, then dry on her cheeks, Laura dragged her spent body from the floor. Turning on the shower, she stepped under the stream of warm water and tried to wash away some of the pain. Mitchell would be home soon, and the last thing she wanted was for her son to see her in such distress. Especially since her distress was of her own making. She had let romantic fantasies cloud reality. She didn’t want Mitchell blaming Trevor or doing anything that might impact on his rugby league, and feuding with a reporter would probably not be a great
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