4
Devon
lay staring at the sleeping, handsome man gracing the bed. She longed to reach
out a hand and straightened his sleep-tousled hair. She wanted to press kisses
up and over his chiseled stomach, over this well-defined chest, to finally
reach his lips. She felt safe with him – protected - for reasons she couldn’t
identify. But nonetheless, fear filled her as she lay pressed up next to him.
She was placing him in danger because of something she’d done. She didn’t want
that. She didn’t want him knowing what she’d done either. She didn’t want to
see the eyes which had burned so bright with passion to dim into
recriminations. He deserved better. He was a good man… funny, sweet,
compassionate, and of course, sexy.
Before
she could talk herself out of it, she slipped away from him and reclaimed the
clothes she’d worn the night before and dressed in the near-dark. As she’d not
unpacked - had not even opened her suitcase - parting would be easy. Before
leaving, she turned back, kneeled on the bed, and pressed her lips against his one
last time before stealing away into the pre-dawn hours of the morning.
Strangely – even though she didn’t even know his name - her chest felt heavy at
leaving him… maybe leaving wouldn’t be as easy as she’d first thought. What a
mess she’d made of her life. Would she ever have the opportunity to love anyone
ever again?
Moving
swiftly down to the front lobby, she rented a room. She hoped once she got some
sleep, things would not look so dismal. She didn’t know how long Cowboy
intended to stay in the hotel, so she’d just stay in her room until Roman
arrived.
Tiredly,
she slipped the keycard into its slot and opened the door to her new room. She
stepped in, thinking how different walking through this door felt to how she’d
felt walking through a similar door earlier. Instead of nervousness tinged with
excitement, she felt… broken. She allowed the suitcase to fall from her
unresisting fingers. She glanced around the room which mirrored the room she’d
just left. The only exception was there wasn’t a beautiful man draped over the
bed. The burning in her chest returned and a sob bubbled up from down deep.
Now
that she was alone, the fear of the future had her falling to her knees. She
buried her face in her hands and cried. Cried for her losses, cried for those she
loved, and cried at what had transpired at her own hands. No matter what
happened from here on out, the life she’d known before was well and truly over
– no matter the reassurances she’d gotten from others.
~*M*~
Alex
woke the next morning to sunlight streaming through the gap in the hotel
curtains. He stretched and turned his head to find the other side of the bed
empty. He rose up on his elbows and glanced around the room. He listened for
sounds in the small space, but heard none. With his eyebrows drawn together, he
slid out of the bed naked and stuck his head into the bathroom alcove. The door
leading to the bathroom stood open with its lights off. He walked back into the
room and stood with his hands on his hips. Where had she disappeared to? A thought
crossed his mind and he returned to the alcove and found her suitcase wasn’t
where he’d sat it the night before. She was gone? He glanced about the room
searching for a note, but didn’t find anything.
A
heaviness he wouldn’t have, and shouldn’t have expected, lodged itself within
his chest. Maybe she’d just gone downstairs to get coffee or breakfast? But why
would she take her suitcase? He ran a hand over his more than usual scruffy
face. Too bad . He’d enjoyed the Little Devil. Dammit! He’d never even gotten her name. Maybe the front desk would have it… not that
they’d give him that information. He sat down heavily on the bed. Again, he
thought, too bad . He would have liked
to enjoy the pleasures of her body for just a little bit longer.
Glancing
around the room one more time, he reached down to
Devon
lay staring at the sleeping, handsome man gracing the bed. She longed to reach
out a hand and straightened his sleep-tousled hair. She wanted to press kisses
up and over his chiseled stomach, over this well-defined chest, to finally
reach his lips. She felt safe with him – protected - for reasons she couldn’t
identify. But nonetheless, fear filled her as she lay pressed up next to him.
She was placing him in danger because of something she’d done. She didn’t want
that. She didn’t want him knowing what she’d done either. She didn’t want to
see the eyes which had burned so bright with passion to dim into
recriminations. He deserved better. He was a good man… funny, sweet,
compassionate, and of course, sexy.
Before
she could talk herself out of it, she slipped away from him and reclaimed the
clothes she’d worn the night before and dressed in the near-dark. As she’d not
unpacked - had not even opened her suitcase - parting would be easy. Before
leaving, she turned back, kneeled on the bed, and pressed her lips against his one
last time before stealing away into the pre-dawn hours of the morning.
Strangely – even though she didn’t even know his name - her chest felt heavy at
leaving him… maybe leaving wouldn’t be as easy as she’d first thought. What a
mess she’d made of her life. Would she ever have the opportunity to love anyone
ever again?
Moving
swiftly down to the front lobby, she rented a room. She hoped once she got some
sleep, things would not look so dismal. She didn’t know how long Cowboy
intended to stay in the hotel, so she’d just stay in her room until Roman
arrived.
Tiredly,
she slipped the keycard into its slot and opened the door to her new room. She
stepped in, thinking how different walking through this door felt to how she’d
felt walking through a similar door earlier. Instead of nervousness tinged with
excitement, she felt… broken. She allowed the suitcase to fall from her
unresisting fingers. She glanced around the room which mirrored the room she’d
just left. The only exception was there wasn’t a beautiful man draped over the
bed. The burning in her chest returned and a sob bubbled up from down deep.
Now
that she was alone, the fear of the future had her falling to her knees. She
buried her face in her hands and cried. Cried for her losses, cried for those she
loved, and cried at what had transpired at her own hands. No matter what
happened from here on out, the life she’d known before was well and truly over
– no matter the reassurances she’d gotten from others.
~*M*~
Alex
woke the next morning to sunlight streaming through the gap in the hotel
curtains. He stretched and turned his head to find the other side of the bed
empty. He rose up on his elbows and glanced around the room. He listened for
sounds in the small space, but heard none. With his eyebrows drawn together, he
slid out of the bed naked and stuck his head into the bathroom alcove. The door
leading to the bathroom stood open with its lights off. He walked back into the
room and stood with his hands on his hips. Where had she disappeared to? A thought
crossed his mind and he returned to the alcove and found her suitcase wasn’t
where he’d sat it the night before. She was gone? He glanced about the room
searching for a note, but didn’t find anything.
A
heaviness he wouldn’t have, and shouldn’t have expected, lodged itself within
his chest. Maybe she’d just gone downstairs to get coffee or breakfast? But why
would she take her suitcase? He ran a hand over his more than usual scruffy
face. Too bad . He’d enjoyed the Little Devil. Dammit! He’d never even gotten her name. Maybe the front desk would have it… not that
they’d give him that information. He sat down heavily on the bed. Again, he
thought, too bad . He would have liked
to enjoy the pleasures of her body for just a little bit longer.
Glancing
around the room one more time, he reached down to
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