Free Just One Night by Chloe Cole Page B

sobs.
    “Mike?”
    His voice followed her, and a moment later he called again with his mouth pressed to the crack of the door.
    “Mike, come on. Tell me what’s wrong.”
    “I’m leaving. And I’m crying because I’m going to miss Martha.”
    “Leaving to go where?”
    “I’m going to stay with Renee for a while until I can get a place.”
    “Renee only has one bedroom. Plus she has a snake, and you’re terrified of snakes.”
    She wiped the tears away, but they were quickly replaced by fresh ones. “I’ll sleep on the pullout. As for the snake, I guess now is as good a time as any to learn to face my fears.” She shuddered in revulsion at the thought. Totally not going to happen, but he didn’t need to know that.
    “Why, Mike? I don’t get it. You got exactly what you wanted. You had your one night. Why are you leaving?”
    His words shocked her into silence, so much so that even her tears dried. Was he that much of a buffoon? She unlocked the door and swung it open, ready to tear into him, but froze. Her heart clenched at his appearance. He was soaking wet, his clothes a rumpled mess. The concern and confusion etched on his face was genuine.
    She reached out a trembling hand and stroked his cheek. “I can’t be here. It was bad enough before…but now, knowing what I do, it would be impossible.”
    He jerked back from her, his expression at first stricken, then like ice. “You didn’t seem to be complaining last night. In fact, you seemed to like it. But you’re right, you should go. I wouldn’t want to sully the princess any more than I already have.” He turned and stalked down the hallway.
    Now it was her turn to be confused as she followed on his heels. “What are you talking about?”
    “Forget it.” He was rifling through his overnight bag and didn’t look up. “I’m going out. It would be better if you were gone when I get back.”
    She let out a gasp of pain as his words hit the mark. Leaving was breaking her heart. Listening to him say he wanted her out was excruciating. She pressed on. “Tell me what you meant about sullying the princess. I want to hear it.”
    “Just what I said. I get it. You’re not the first one to regret a one-night stand. I have to admit though, my ego’s a little bruised. I thought I did you right. Now you throw it in my face like you can’t be around me. Did I gross you out? Too raw for you in the light of day, princess?”
    Bewildered, she shook her head. “It was the best night of my life.”
    “You just said knowing what you know now, you can’t live with me. Like I disgusted you.” His voice was killing her. It was raw and broken, like every word was being forced from his lips against his will. He’d stopped pulling clothes from his bag and was watching her with inscrutable, dark eyes.
    She steadied herself, knowing no matter what, he needed to hear the truth. There was no going back from here anyway. “Not like you disgusted me. Like I will never be able to get it out of my head. I will never be able to watch you go out with other women and come home smelling like sex and strange perfume.” Her voice broke but she continued. “I will never be able to walk by your bedroom without remembering us there together.” She took a step forward and laid her hand on his chest. “If I stay here, I will never stop wanting it to happen again and again. I love you, Tomas. And every day I stay here pretending I don’t—” Her throat burned as she choked back a sob and turned away. She scooped up two of her bags and prayed she made it out the door before the storm broke free and she really lost it. “I’ll come back another day for the rest.”
    “Don’t go.”
    His big, warm hand closed on her shoulder, and she resisted the urge to lean back into him.
    “It’s really for the best. And maybe in a few months we can try to hang out and be friends again.” Her voice rang false, even to her own ears, but she was desperate to escape.
    “I don’t ever