Free Wild Weekend by Susanna Carr Page A

at the
bed, Christine went very still until she saw that Travis was still sleeping
soundly.
    She was overwhelmed with the urge to wake him up and say
goodbye. She wanted to thank him for showing her Vegas, for encouraging her to
pursue her dreams and for taking the time to make sure she crossed something off
her bucket list. But, most of all, she wanted one more kiss.
    Christine pressed her lips together. No, she shouldn’t do that.
It would start a chain reaction. She squared her shoulders and thrust out her
chin. All he would have to do was look at her and she would stay.
    And then she might find out the truth that would crack through
her dream weekend. She felt something more than desire, but that didn’t mean
Travis felt the same way. She could keep the fantasy but that meant getting out
of here before she ruined this beautiful memory.
    Christine’s eyelashes fluttered as she felt the sting of tears.
She wasn’t going to regret leaving. She would regret it more if she tried to
extend this one-night stand. She grabbed her suitcase and quietly left, refusing
to look back.
    * * *
    T RAVIS WOKE UP when he
heard the buzz of his cell phone. He gradually opened his eyes and stared at the
white ceiling. It took a moment for him to notice the stream of sunlight. His
need to turn over and go back to sleep evaporated when he realized he didn’t
recognize the room.
    He sat up and looked around. The hotel room was like any other.
He looked at the bed and saw the dent on the pillow next to him. He smiled as
the memories came rushing back. “Christine?”
    She didn’t answer. The bathroom and closet doors were ajar, as
if they’d been thrown open in a hurry. Travis reluctantly looked at the clock on
the table next to the bed. It was past noon.
    Damn. Travis tiredly rubbed his hand over his jaw, the stubble
scratching his palm. She must have left for the airport. The disappointment
weighed heavily in his chest. He hadn’t had a chance to say goodbye.
    In a hazy way, he recalled encouraging her to stay for another
day, but she hadn’t seemed interested. He should have gotten her phone number or
email address. Anything that gave him the chance to continue what they had
shared. Now that link had been broken. She was gone.
    The regret was unfamiliar. He was used to keeping relationships
casual. They were meant to be fun, sexy and temporary. But it felt different
with Christine. What they shared was more of a connection. Something he hadn’t
felt with anyone for a long time. And when she curled up against him, showing
her trust... Travis exhaled sharply. Well, he thought it was more than a
hookup.
    He heard the buzz of his cell phone again and tilted his head.
It sounded like it was close to the door. He rose to his feet and stretched.
Looking around, Travis hoped to see if Christine had left a note. There was
nothing on the tables or the pillow.
    No big deal. She was in a rush, he assured himself. Last night
still meant something to Christine. He knew it in the way she touched him, in
her sighs of delight and her gasps of pleasure. The way she clung to him as if
he was her rock, her shelter. It didn’t mean she had to keep clinging once
morning came.
    It was probably better this way, he decided as he padded
barefoot to his pile of clothes by the door. If they had tried to continue, his
history would repeat itself. She would tire of his energy and his curiosity. He
would start feeling trapped. What they shared was based on mutual desire. It was
pure fantasy and that’s how he wanted to remember it.
    Travis reached down for the pile of clothes. He pushed aside
his jeans and smiled when he saw Christine’s bra had somehow gotten tangled up
with the legs. He grabbed his jacket and retrieved his phone from the pocket.
“Hello?” he said, his voice husky from sleep.
    “Travis?” Aaron’s loud voice pierced through his fog. “I’ve
been trying to reach you. Where have you been?”
    “I was asleep. How did the game go?”
    “I