He and Holly looked good together, like an advertisement for a dating website. The pretty blonde held onto him as if she feared one of the city’s strong winds would swoop down and lift him away.
All Shawna’s ideas about seeing where this could go effectively extinguished. “You didn’t mention you have a girlfriend.”
“How do the two of you know each other?” Holly asked.
“I work at Saks Fifth Avenue, and he approached me and asked if I could help him find a gift for someone. I guess for you.”
Ryan’s stomach muscles clenched in dread. She could bust him right now. Why didn’t she? Or did she plan to, and those statements were simply the lead up to the big reveal that he’d cheated on his girlfriend?
If she exposed his dishonesty to Holly, everyone back home would know what a jerk he was. That he’d come to Chicago and had a fling—cheating on the woman he’d practically been destined to marry.
He’d thought about giving up a future with her, a woman whom he knew well, their families knew each other, and all for what? For a woman he’d known only a couple of days.
But she made him feel more alive and excited about the prospect of being with someone than he’d ever felt. Forever with Shawna didn’t cause the same sense of dread as forever with Holly.
“Well, he didn’t give me a gift,” Holly said, “so I guess he didn’t get anything.”
“Or he did get something, but he’s keeping it a secret from you.”
A tightening in the back of Ryan’s throat kept him from speaking. He avoided Shawna’s eyes, staring out at the bustling street filled with cars and pedestrians. Everyone on their way somewhere. He’d been on his way somewhere, too. To see Shawna and spend time with her.
Now he couldn’t even look at her because of the guilt he felt and the hurt he’d caused. What could he say? He’d denied being involved with someone. He’d misled her.
“I’m glad I met you, Holly. Ryan, I’m glad we ran into each other and I had the opportunity to meet your girlfriend.”
He stared down at the concrete. She sounded so cool, her voice so controlled, as if they really were mere acquaintances and hadn’t been lovers. As if she hadn’t become as essential to him as breathing. Meanwhile, for the past few minutes he’d been unable to speak, words deadlocked in his throat.
“Have a nice life.”
The words sounded so final, he found the courage to look at her. She only offered a brief moment of eye contact. He saw the hurt and anger before she walked away, poised, hips swaying in her tight jeans.
“She seems nice,” Holly said. “I thought that we could . . .”
Her voice droned on, but he didn’t hear anything else she said. Shawna had walked away and he hadn’t done anything to stop her. He had a flash of memory—of being buried inside of her hot, wet body. Of her head tipped back, silky dark hair spilled across the pillows as his tongue licked the sweat from her damp skin. Memories of her thighs clenched around his hips, and how he’d come so hard he almost blacked out.
He knew without a doubt his life would never be the same.
****
Ryan finally escaped after he told Holly he’d ordered a pizza for them to eat and had to go pick it up. More lies. He didn’t know what to do in such a messy situation, but he knew he had to see Shawna.
In the brightly lit lobby of The Haven Hotel, he approached the front desk. He couldn’t get upstairs without having a key card. He hadn’t phoned Shawna because he suspected she wouldn’t answer. He wouldn’t blame her, but he hoped she’d give him a chance to explain.
He asked the person at the front desk to ring her room.
Seconds later, the woman frowned at the screen in front of her. “I’m sorry, sir, but Miss Ferguson has already checked out.”
Alarm bubbled up inside of him. “That can’t be right. She doesn’t leave until tomorrow.”
“No, Miss Ferguson—”
“Check again!”