He pushed his hands into his hair and stared up at the ceiling. “Fuck.” His voice was thick and laced with need.
Boring Paige had vanished, and in her place, the new Paige was saucy, sexual, and daring. I felt alive and brazen and wicked. I hadn’t felt anything like this in the longest time. Besides, we only had to live together for two months. What was the worst that could happen?
“When do we start?” I murmured. The alcohol must have been hitting me much harder than I’d thought, because holy shit, what?
He sat forward again. His sin-soaked smile sent the thrill of victory through me. I had won; I was going to get everything I craved. He reached out to stroke his thumb along my cheek, and I couldn’t have stopped myself leaning into his touch if I’d wanted to.
“I’m not fucking you when you’re drunk.” His voice was far too husky to be saying something like that. “Sleep on it. If you still want to do this tomorrow, I’m game.” And then he rose to his feet and disappeared down the hall.
Part of me was pissed off—not to mention so horny I could scream. But most of me was relieved. I unsteadily rose to my feet and headed down the hall for my bedroom. That suggestion had passed “bold” and gone straight into “completely insane.”
Cannon had been a gentleman, giving me an out. It was probably for the best. I was sure that by tomorrow morning, I’d come to my senses.
At least, I hoped so.
Chapter Nine
Paige
When I woke up, I was sure last night had just been a bad dream. Then I swung my legs over the side of the bed and saw the champagne-colored cocktail dress crumpled on my floor, frowning as memories of last night clawed at the edges of my brain. But the wet nose of a certain little fluff ball nudged me again. Enchilada had to pee.
I steeled myself and tiptoed into the hall. The house was totally quiet. Cannon’s bedroom door was mostly shut, and I rushed past it. I grabbed the leash from the counter, and that’s when I saw it.
A Post-it note was stuck to my coffeemaker, Cannon’s messy handwritten scrawled across the paper.
We need to talk.
Four little words shouldn’t have had the ability to make me break out in hives, but when the reality of last night came crashing back, I had to grip the counter for support. I had actually seriously propositioned Cannon for sex. This was the reality I had to deal with now. Hanging my head in my hands, I inhaled deeply.
If I could stay in my room and hide all day, I would. But then Enchilada let out another whimper.
“Okay. Come on, buddy.” I grabbed his leash and slipped my feet into my shoes, and then Enchilada and I were safely outside without making a scene.
I breathed a sigh of relief as we crossed the street to our customary patch of grass . . . and that was when I noticed that Cannon’s car was gone. The sinking feeling in my stomach quickly bloomed into full-on panic.
Oh God, had I driven him away with my insane suggestion last night? Maybe he’d gone straight to Allie this morning, told her he was no longer comfortable staying here. I had sexually harassed her baby brother. Holy shit, she was never going to talk to me ever again. I stared at the distant Huron River as Enchilada did his business, and fantasized about throwing myself in.
When Enchilada finished, I gathered him into my arms, holding him tight to my chest as I dashed back inside. The door to Cannon’s room had been left ajar, and I nudged it open a few inches further to peek inside. The futon was back into its couch position, and the blankets were folded on top of the desk. His duffel bag and a couple of shopping bags were in the corner. So his stuff was still here, but I wasn’t the least bit comforted.
His note was clear and to the point—but what the hell was I going to say to him?
Sure I’d made a colossal mistake last night, I busied myself making coffee and breakfast. Then I took a shower, as if going through the motions of shampooing, shaving, and blow-drying would make everything better.
I couldn’t wait for this weekend to be over. I’d never wanted it to be Monday morning so badly before in my entire life. I thought if I could disappear into the office, I could lose myself in my weekly routines and obligations, then everything would go back to normal.
Oh, how wrong I was.
I heard a large truck pull up outside and stop, its engine idling. Then a there was a knock on the door.
A man wearing a name badge that read Hank smiled at me and held out a clipboard. “Morning, ma’am. If you’ll sign right here.”
I took the pen and looked down at the page in front of me. “What’s this for?”
Hank tapped the page again. “It’s an acknowledgment of pickup and delivery.”
Two more men bustled past me into the house and into Cannon’s bedroom. What the hell is going on? They came out carrying the futon.
My stomach churned. Oh fuck, he was really moving out. This was it . . . and it would only be a matter of time before Allie cut me out of her life forever. My heart threatened to stop beating.
My phone rang and I grabbed it from the counter, answering without bothering to check the caller ID.