Chapter 14
573 Words
CHAPTER 14
“s**t. Into the bedroom. Quickly!”
He would have laughed at the absolute panic on her face, except that she didn’t seem to see the humour in the situation.
“You don’t understand. Marcie will tell everyone. She’s my best friend, but she can’t keep a secret to save her soul. The entire town will know by tomorrow that we’re sleeping together.”
Sleeping together. Not seeing each other. Not dating. Not together. Just sleeping together. “And you don’t want that.”
“No, of course not. Do you?” Yes. He wanted to shout it from the rooftops. He’d waited years for this. But apparently they weren’t on the same page. She was looking for a physical release. A bit of fun. And he was looking for forever.
“Don’t you see how awkward things could be when this… thing between us fizzles out?”
On his end, them fizzling out was about as likely as hell freezing over. But he wasn’t interested in convincing her. If she didn’t see how great they could be, he wasn’t going to risk getting any more hurt than he already was.
“So you want us to lie to our friends and family? You, who has been mad at me for years about keeping secrets?”
“Yes. No! I don’t know.” She yanked on the ties of her robe, twisting the satin in her hands. “Can you please just get in the bedroom until I get rid of her? Then we can figure out what to do.”
“Sure. If that’s what you want.” He closed the bedroom door quietly behind him and tried to block out the muted voices in the hall. He didn’t know what she was going to say to get rid of her best friend. And frankly, he didn’t care.
Whatever Shannon was saying, it wouldn’t be the truth. He’d sworn he was done with lying. All it did was mess up his life.
He pulled on his T-shirt, trying not to remember the way his heart had pounded when she’d peeled it off him. The sight and smell of paint splatters was going to hit him in the gut for a while, he imagined.
His pants followed. By the time Shannon decided it was safe for him to come out of the bedroom, he was fully dressed.
“Man, that was close.” She hesitated. “Lucas? Are you okay?” Maybe he hadn’t done as good a job at schooling his features as he’d hoped.
“I’m fine. Just tired.” And this was why he’d made the truth his primary rule in the past five years. Lies bred more lies, like some kind of virus.
“You’re leaving?”
“I need to meet an early delivery in the morning, and I’ve got a few things still to sort out tonight.” Like what he was going to do about being in love with a woman who wanted to hide their relationship like a dirty little secret.
He needed to clear his head and give his heart a little breathing room. See how he felt about things when he was a little less tired.
“I’ll see you tomorrow?”
“Maybe. I’m going out with the guys after work, so we’ll have to see how the day goes.” She did look disappointed at that. He’d try one more time. “Unless you want to come out with us and we’ll make it a co-ed night out?”
She bit her lip and hesitated. Which gave him his answer. She shook her head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
Heart heavy, he headed for the door. “Okay, then. I’ll see you around, neighbour.”
- Writer
