Текст книги "Jerk"
Автор книги: Kat T. Masen
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Текущая страница: 9 (всего у книги 17 страниц)
Dad and Haden left early to go hunting, leaving us girls for the day. Mom thought it would be swell to take us shopping.
Jumping from store to store, the three of them “ooh” and “aah” over anything baby related, while I just sit in the corner of the store allowing my tired feet to rest. Shopping and pregnancy do not mix. I am ready to say yes to everything that they shove at my face just so we can get out of here.
“So, Pres, have you made a list of all the things you need?” Gemma asks, holding up two sailor outfits.
I cringe at the outfits. “No.”
“Stop the press! You’re so anal with your lists and your need to be organized,” Melissa points out, this time holding up two lamb onesies which, I have to admit, are adorable.
“Just busy and stuff.”
“Presley Malone. Since when are you ever this blasé?” Mom takes the sailor outfit from Gemma and places it in her basket.
Great. My kid is going to look like one of the Village People.
“Mom, I’m busy with work. I don’t have time to plan these things. I’m sure there’s some website that with a click of a button will deliver everything to my door.”
The three of them stare at me, wide-eyed in shock.
“What have you done with the real Presley?” Gemma inquires, raising her eyebrows at me curiously while holding up a cowboy outfit, frills and all. I shake my head in disapproval.
“Why are you all making a big deal out of this?” I answer defensively.
“Because you’re having a baby. It’s the biggest deal there could ever be,” Mom intervenes.
Now they’re ganging up on me. I can’t please anyone, and right now that diner across the road with the awesome banana fudge sundae is the only thing I can think about.
“Are we done? I’m hungry.”
The three of them nod and pay for the items before we head out of the store. They don’t raise the subject again, and they don’t realize that I’m completely terrified. Every day I’m experiencing something new, whether it’s exciting or unpleasant, and even though I’m surrounded by family, I feel so alone. Even more so after the Jerk’s willingness to abandon the intimate moment between us, proving again that he’s unreliable.
The banana fudge sundae is a temporary cure before we head back home to pack. When Dad and Haden pull up in the old pickup truck, I greet them outside, instantly hit by a god-awful stench.
“What the hell is that?” I scowl.
“Don’t look in the back, Poodle.”
Too late. I do and run straight for the bathroom to empty out the contents of my stomach. There is a gentle tap on the door, followed by an, “Are you okay…Poodle?”
“Go away, Jerk!” I yell, head in the basin, saying goodbye to that banana fudge sundae.
I don’t realize the door has opened, but I hear the gentle creaking sound as the door is shut. My stomach is still weak and the Jerk grabs all my hair and holds it back with his hand. Whether it’s because of the road kill smell or his caring gesture, I hurl one last time into the toilet. Flushing it, I sit back on my knees, facing away from him.
“Do you need me to get you anything?”
I shake my head as he continues to hold onto my hair.
“I think I puked in my hair,” I almost cry.
He leans in and I think he is smelling my hair. “It still smells like coconut.”
“Coconut? Oh, that’s my shampoo to stop me from looking like Diana Ross.”
This is awkward. Do I tell him to let go of my hair? Then I remember last night and how he so easily just ignored what happened between us. I shuffle my head to the side and loosen my hair from the grip of his hand.
“I’m going to take a shower.”
I stand up, avoiding eye contact, then walk out of the bathroom and head upstairs to escape him.
After spending a good hour thoroughly rinsing my hair, I head back downstairs, but halt just before the bottom step where the Jerk is standing, staring at the pictures on the wall.
“There’s a picture here of you and him,” he tells me, staring at the wall disconcertedly.
“Yes. He was my fiancé and my parents considered him family.”
“Do they still see him, talk to him?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t asked them. If they did, it wouldn’t bother me. Jason is great and it’s not fair for anyone to have to cut ties just because we aren’t romantically involved.”
His eyes are boring into the picture; unsure of why it seems to be bothering him so much, I move my gaze to the picture itself to see if I’m missing something. It’s still the same picture I saw yesterday. Nothing out of the ordinary.
“Is there a problem? You look annoyed.”
Abruptly, he turns to face me. “How would you like it if you went to my parents’ house and saw a picture of me and my ex on the wall?”
“I wouldn’t care because it’s your ex. And since we aren’t together, I actually really wouldn’t give a goddamn shit. That would be more appropriate wording for it. Besides, you’re with Eloise now. If I did care for you, which I don’t in the slightest bit, you being with her would be like adding salt to a wound,” I rant.
He exhales with a slight snicker. “Well, I’m glad you cleared up the confusion.”
The Jerk walks away from the conversation and I see him disappear down the hall. How am I going to survive being on the same flight as him? Thank God we didn’t book seats next to each other because I don’t think I could handle any more of his childish outbursts.
We have an early meal before it’s time to pack and head out. With my suitcase ready to go, Mom knocks on the door before entering.
“Hey Mom, what’s up?”
She comes in carrying a small bag. “Here, honey. I wanted you to have this.”
Inside, I pull out a small yellow blanket. It’s soft and covered in colorful stripes. I press it against my cheek and a very familiar emotion overwhelms me. It smells a little like moth balls, but judging by the age of the blanket, it’s probably been sitting in some trunk in the attic.
“This was your blankie,” she tells me. “You carried this around with you everywhere you went until you were five.”
“Thanks, Mom.” I almost tear up. “What else is in the bag?”
“Oh! Here you go. I kept it all these years.”
She pulls out this yellow bottle-looking thing with a suction cap attached. For some unknown reason, I place the suction cap on my cheek until Mom informs me of its use. “That’s my breast pump.”
I throw it back at her. “Eww, Mom! I can’t use your breast pump!”
“Why not? It’s still in perfect condition.” She places it against her breast, mimicking the sucking motion.
“You know what, Mom? I’ll start a list right now. And a new breast pump can go on the top.”
“Have it your way. I just don’t know why you would waste money when this is in perfectly good working order.”
I don’t say another thing. Instead, I wrap my arms around her and hug her tight. I don’t want to let go, frightened that the next time I see her I’ll be in the hospital bed pushing out a watermelon from my lemon-sized vagina.
“I know you’re scared, honey. I’ll be right by your side the whole time.”
Letting out thin sobs, I nod my head, trying to translate my fears into words. “Just promise you’ll be there, Mom. I don’t want to be alone.”
“I promise. You won’t be alone.”
We let go of each other and even my mom’s eyes have gone glassy. She carries my suitcase downstairs where everyone else has already congregated on the porch.
Gemma and Melissa hug me and I’m sandwiched between them as they are promising to visit. They are quick to push me aside to fuss over their new favorite person. They exchange something with the Jerk—phone numbers, I suppose. Dad loads the car, then moves towards me to give me one of his big bear hugs.
“Take care of yourself, Poodle. We’ll see you when we get back from Fiji.”
“Oh, that’s right. Your second honeymoon.” I cringe.
“I’ve got a new bikini! I forgot to show you,” Mom says excitedly.
“It’s a quite a piece of string. I’m going to have to shoo those Fijian men away,” Dad jokes.
Gemma and I both groan at the same time before I walk towards the car and give my final wave goodbye.
“What do you mean the flight’s canceled?”
The crack of the thunder startles the both of us as we stand at the crowded check-in desk. The attendant gives us a dumb look. Haden is angry and slamming his fists on the counter to no avail. The line behind us is out the door and it appears everyone is as frustrated as we are.
Annoyed, I lean against the counter with my back to the attendant as she punches stuff into her computer.
“You okay?” Haden calms down enough to ask the question.
“Yeah, just tired.”
Apparently, due to this wretched storm, all flights are canceled. Haden is still mouthing off and I turn around and push him out of the way since he is getting nowhere with this.
“What are you going to do to compensate us? Accommodations for starters?” I take charge.
She clicks away on her computer and makes a few phone calls. A minute later we are booked at the hotel by the airport. According to her, it’s the last room available. Now it’s was my turn to panic.
“What do you mean, only one room?!” I raise my voice.
“Well, I assumed you were a cou—”
I interrupt her. “Never assume! It makes an ass—”
Haden places his hand on my shoulder. “Okay, calm down,” he says coolly. “No big deal, you take the bed and I’ll take the chair.”
“You can’t sleep in a chair, Haden.”
“I don’t think we should be in the same bed…”
She is staring wide-eyed at us, watching our conversation unfold. Unable to control my anger once again, I unleash my frustrations on her. “See, that’s why you don’t assume!”
I grab the tickets she issues us for the next flight and walk away without thanking her.
Geez Presley, calm the hormones down. A growl escapes me and I think it’s my anger, but it turns out to be my stomach. This day—or should I say weekend—has gone from terrible to disastrous.
“Let’s get you something to eat,” Haden suggests, taking both our bags and walking towards the exit.
We head outside the airport and straight to the hotel across the road. It is no five-star, but it’s acceptable for a night’s rest.
“You want to go to the restaurant?” he asks.
“Room service. We’ve got vouchers.” I smile in delight.
As soon as we settle in, I’m on the phone with the restaurant, ordering everything on the menu. And I mean everything. Haden announces that he is going to change in the bathroom. Moments later he emerges with his PJ bottoms on and no top.
“Do you always parade around shirtless?” I pry, trying to come off annoyed rather than interested.
“Does it bother you?”
“No… yes… it must be your generation,” I say, mostly to myself.
“I’m sure you oldies do it. Try it some time? Why not now?” he says with an inviting smirk.
I exhale, loudly, to cover my embarrassment. Haden one. Presley zero.
I grab my clothes and head to the shower. The steaming hot water is exactly what I need and as my body relaxes, my skin begins to prune from the water. Getting changed into my tank and boxers, I cringe at having to wear a bra to bed. It’s extremely uncomfortable with the size of these bazookas, but what choice did I have? The tank I’m wearing is light pink and my nipples have darkened from the pregnancy, not to mention their size. I could have given the Amazonian ladies on National Geographic a run for their money.
Exiting the room, I see that Haden has taken the lids off the plates and my stomach rumbles embarrassingly. The plates surround the bed and I jump on it, immediately devouring everything in sight. On my last bite, I let out a sigh.
“Jesus, I thought you were kidding when you said you could eat all that.” He finishes taking his last bite.
“Baby needed it,” I tell him.
“The buffalo wings as well?”
“Yes.”
“And the cheesy fries?”
“Yes,” I repeat.
“The pizza with extra toppings and salad on the side?”
“Yes and yes.” I smile, satisfied.
“The chocolate mud cake?”
“No, that was for me.”
He shakes his head in disbelief, curling his lips as he laughs. “Well, you still look beautiful. Eloise would never eat anything like that. She’s into this stupid diet where everything has to be green. Even the wedding menu is all green.”
I stop laughing and stare at the TV uncomfortably. Firstly, who invented green diets? What a waste of perfectly good (and delicious) colorful food. Secondly, that’s twice he has mentioned my looks. At what point do I classify that as infatuation instead of just admiration? Both times he’s done it, I have frozen up with no following comment to offer. After last night’s misadventures, I am extremely cautious of being in the same room as him. It would be silly of me to take these passing comments to heart.
“Look, don’t take this the wrong way, but you can sleep on the bed too. Just no scary movies?”
He smiles. “Deal.”
We still argue over each movie before finally settling on Father of the Bride. Haden appears bored by my choice, but continues to watch with a chuckle every now and then at Steve Martin’s ridiculous antics.
“Marcus loves this movie,” I blurt out, regretting it immediately.
In the dark room, his body stiffens beside me. His stare is fixated on the screen.
“Do you still talk to him?” he asks, in a slightly aggravated tone.
“Um, not really, apart from a text here and there.”
“So you do talk to him?”
Confused by his question, I just agree. “If you consider that talking, then yes. Why?”
Crossing his arms to cover his bare chest, he continues to watch the TV, refusing to make eye contact with me. “I just don’t see why you still talk to him. You told him it’s over.”
“Because we’re friends. It wasn’t just about sex.”
The tension in the room thickens, and I have no idea why this is still an issue. It’s almost like he’s jealous, but that notion seems ridiculous because again, we’re not together.
With an undermining stare, his eyes bore into me, followed by a deep growl. “So you weren’t just fucking him?”
“Do you have a problem? Because the last time I checked, you were engaged. My sex life is of no concern to you, especially what’s in the past.”
“He’s my cousin!” he raises his voice, startling me.
“How does that matter? You and I weren’t dating! Geez, Haden, it was one night—”
He interrupts me, dead cold. “That you regret.”
“I did regret it, but—”
“But what?” he demands.
“Would you let me finish?” I exhale. “But now I have this baby growing inside me. I can’t regret something that feels so right. This is my life now.”
“Our life,” he corrects me.
I don’t understand him, and I have no idea what triggers his erratic behavior. This is getting more complicated by the minute. Now, we are sitting here side by side with a whole night still ahead of us. I’m pretty sure one of us won’t come out of this alive.
We continue to watch the rest of the movie in silence. Towards the end, I twist my back against the headboard of the bed, scratching the itch that the bra strap is giving me. For starters, it’s two sizes too small and my breasts grew to double their size overnight. Trying to remain inconspicuous, I move in subtle yet slow twists.
The Jerk turns his head to watch me, his eyes peering like a curious meerkat. I still my body movements, not wanting to draw further attention. Stupid big nipples.
“Why do you look like you’ve got a spider down your back?” he questions with dark amusement.
“It’s my bra!” I tell him, fed up with the persistent itch. “It’s uncomfortable and the stupid strap is driving me insane.”
“Then take it off.”
“Honestly, you got a screw loose. That’s so awkward, and no, I won’t do that.”
“Just do it, I won’t look, okay? Besides, there’s going to be more uncomfortable moments than that, like when the baby comes shooting out of your vagina.”
“You’re not going to be in the room!”
“Why not?” he argues back. “I’m the father. I have that right.”
I laugh at his comment. “You don’t have the right to look at my vagina. If you have to be in there then stand in the corner.”
“But don’t I have to hold your hand and shit?”
“Maybe you need to watch Father of the Bride II.”
The credits rolled on, the illumination from the TV screen providing the only light in the room. All of a sudden, some foreign film comes on with nudity. Boobies to be exact. It is laughable and extremely tacky. Oh, and downright awkward. There is bush…plenty of bush.
“This is so lame. People don’t screw like that,” I say to myself.
“I’m sure people do.”
“Yeah, smartass, name one.”
He hesitates for a brief moment. “Me.”
Silence.
The movie is showing a couple having sex against the wall in the shower. The man has lifted the woman up, and with her legs wrapped around his waist, he continues to drill into her while she lets out the fakest moan. I can’t take my eyes off the bush! You could run a brush through it and style it with cornrows, it’s that long.
“What’s wrong? You don’t believe me?” he continues, not letting go of this awkward subject.
“Oh no, I do,” I mutter. “It’s just the type of conversation you don’t have with a pregnant woman without a partner. You know, it’s just not advisable.”
“Oh right, the hormones.” He grimaces hopelessly. “Is it that bad?”
He’s asking the question that should remain unanswered, because the more I think about it, the more I work myself up. Kitty could start a whole debate on this subject.
“Yeah, pretty bad. Bad enough that I’d probably do you again.” I swat him with a pillow, teasing him in a friendly and relaxed way.
He doesn’t respond immediately, and when I take a glance at him he is removing his glasses and placing them on the nightstand. He’s roughly running his hands through his hair, and I feel the sheets move until the heat attacks my skin and his body is in line with mine.
My heart is beating a million times a minute and my vocal chords appear to be out of order as I beg him silently to back off, knowing full well I am the weak one.
“Presley?” he murmurs gently into my ear.
With his body in close proximity, the words cannot be communicated, so I turn my head until our eyes are locked onto each other.
“Then do it,” he whispers, against my lips.
Three little words, and my world comes undone.
Did he just say he wanted to have sex with me? Baby brain, a miscommunication, or maybe I’m reading this all wrong?
His lips are feverishly locked onto mine, our tongues twisting in a manic frenzy. The suction is strong. I attempt to pull away to maintain my morals, yet his grip around my shoulders pushes me further into the mattress, unable to break free.
I reach for a quick breath and try to stop him.
“Haden, we can’t…you have—”
His lips find their way back onto mine, and without answering me, he continues to passionately tease my mouth with his own. I beg myself to stop, but every flick, every swirl of his perfectly soft tongue is signaling every inch of my body to react with desire.
The ache below is taunting me, but I need to be the strong one here, the mature person that can push him away because I have self-control. His strong weight against my body overpowers any self-control I have though, and my feeble attempts to wriggle away from him appear fruitless.
“No one will know,” he whispers against my lips, offering me a bite of the poisonous apple he is holding. It is red, delicious, and with just one bite, I know I cannot stop.
“We will know.”
The cool air graces my mouth and he has pulled away, yet still lingers only inches from my face. Staring deeply into my eyes, his pupils dilate and I see the fire burning deep within, the passion, the desperation reflecting back at me. With his glasses removed, his bare face draws me in and this intimate moment between us allows me to study his face in a way that I had previously only dreamt about. Running my fingertips along the contour of his cheekbones, I teasingly drag my finger against his bottom lip. I adore his lips.
“Presley.” He commands my name, owning it like I belong to him, but then he bites the corner of his lips and softens his gaze. “I want to do this for you.”
Wait, he wants to do it for me? Rational Presley would punch the Jerk in the face for such a comment! How dare he turn this around on me, like he is doing me a favor. My body automatically tenses and my fists curl; that beautiful face of his is about to see stars. If only Kitty didn’t have her leash around my neck, restraining me like an animal ready to attack.
I place my hands against his chest to open the distance between us.
“I just think that—”
Frustratingly, he interrupts me once again. “Don’t think, Presley.”
He’s resting his palm against my cheek and I lean into it, uncertain how my emotions have so quickly shifted. I’ve longed for the comfort and touch of the man that was inside me. His blood is running through the veins of our unborn child. This intimate moment between us, this simple touch, is the validation I need to allow my body to completely give into him—once again.
The tip of his tongue runs across my bottom lip till it sneaks into my mouth and slowly gains momentum. Soft, sensual swirls heighten the throbs persisting in all the spots that haven’t been touched for a long time. I can’t control the way my body is responding to him, and being pregnant is surprisingly driving my hormones to a level of pure insanity from how much I want him inside me right now.
He knows what he does to me.
I know he knows.
But do I do the same for him?
Moving his palm to the base of my neck, I gasp into his mouth at the sheer intimacy of his touch. His mouth lingers around my chin, moving slightly to his left until he is positioned at the base of my earlobe. The anticipation, his words, they will no doubt destroy me, and take me to a place of pure ecstasy that I have never experienced in all my years.
“I want to take this slow. Make every fantasy I’ve had of you, come alive.”
My breath hitches and my body presses against his. His hardness against my thigh is driving me crazy. The fantasy of his cock, pierced and sitting in my mouth, is becoming a reality, and my patience wears thin. My hands move on their own accord, running through his soft hair and scratching down his back, causing him to arch and flex his muscles into my hands. Burying his weak moans into my shoulder, his teeth grip onto my skin with a gentle bite, and his hands lose all sense of control as they travel into the gap of my tank, exposing my breasts.
Even in the dark, his eyes glow fiercely, and the ravaging noises escaping his throat drown with the frantic kisses placed all over my very full breasts. My nipples are hard and every flick of his tongue drives me to moan louder into his hair as I try to control the way my body is reacting.
“Let yourself go, Presley. Let me have all of you.”
He continues to fondle my breasts, taking turns, not wanting to unfairly leave any part of me unattended. I allow my body to relax, enjoying the attention and new sensations. I shift to the side and my sudden movement throws him off. Without a word, he searches my face for an explanation.
“The baby…I don’t want to squash the baby.”
Truth be told, I’m terrified of it happening. Haden appears amused, yet continues his mission of having all of me. His hands slowly wander down my torso, caressing the bump in my stomach.
“So beautiful,” he murmurs. “And mine.”
Trailing kisses down my body, he stops at the top of my boxers and waits, leaving me to do the unthinkable—beg him to go down.
With a playful grin, he tells me, “You don’t play fair, Malone.”
“Who said anything about playing fair?” I smirk, gently tugging his hair.
“I don’t want to hurt you.”
Simple words that stop me in my tracks. Is he talking about the baby or my feelings? I thought we covered hurting the baby already. Emotionally, I am resilient, or at least that’s the lie Kitty feeds me. This is a pity fuck, a spur of the moment, need-to-release-the-tension fuck. We aren’t going to get married and live happily ever after. Physically, I want him to give it all to me.
“You won’t,” I almost beg of him.
Momentarily, his hands slide past the edge of my shorts and into my panties. The low grumbling sound he makes, followed by a deep moan, push him further against my clit, until his fingers find their way inside.
I gasp at the pure pleasure of the deep thrusts, moving my body in a slow rhythmic motion, bucking my hips against his hand.
“Hot fucking damn, Malone, you are completely soaked,” he tells me, thrusting a third finger deep within.
I’m going to explode. I’m just one finger away from gushing all over his hands. In an attempt to control my breathing, I relax my body and enjoy how good it feels till he warns me that he’s about to enter me.
“I need to be inside you now,” he demands, and with a swift and steady drop of his shorts, he commands me to sit on top of him. “I want to see all of you, riding me, hard, till you can’t take it any longer and explode all over my cock.”
Wow!
I’m quick to jump on top of him as he holds his cock with that shining silver barbell, teasing me before gently sliding it inside me. The fullness of him completes the emptiness that I felt earlier. He moves slowly, gaining momentum as I arch my back, gripping his thighs for support.
His hands trace the base of my neck and follow down my chest and between my full breasts, stopping just shy of my nipples. The anticipation becomes frustrating, so I take control, resting my palm on his and dragging it on top of my nipples.
He moans in delight. “You feel just as I’ve always imagined you…tight, wet…your body craves me to fuck you.”
My head won’t even nod, so possessed by the strong build-up of pressure forming below that I cannot string together my thoughts or words.
He stops, and instantly my eyes flick open, staring widely at him, wanting to know why. This better not be his signature calling card. Abandoning women on the brink of an orgasm.
“Tell me you want me,” he demands quietly, running his hands along my thigh. His beautiful eyes stare back at me oddly, and I can only imagine he is riddled with guilt.
I lift his hand and kiss his fingertips. “I want you.”
“Tell me it’s only me that you want to fuck this beautiful pussy of yours.”
“It’s only you.”
My uneven breaths echo throughout the quiet room, and I move against him, only for him to stop me once again.
“Tell me,” he whispers. “Tell me it’s only me that will ever be inside you from this moment on.”
My eyes connect with his, attempting to understand what he just demanded of me. He wants me for the rest of his life? Or am I signing a contract to dance with the devil in the pale moonlight? His eyes show no mercy, fixated on my lips and waiting impatiently for my answer.
This is a heavy question from someone buried inside me, and from someone who is engaged. Everything we are doing is completely and morally wrong. We are hurting others. We are the driving force in this sick and twisted game, leaving the pawns to hurt and suffer from our indiscretion.
But I don’t care.
I want him.
All of him.
And right now, in this deep and intimate moment, I want only him for the rest of my life.
“It’s only you…you will be the only one to ever be inside me and make me feel this way from this moment on.”
Promises are just promises, made to be broken if they are built on lies.
Not wasting any time, he pushes me back as the tip of his pierced cock rubs against my wall. He pulls me forward again, this time fast and steady. I ride him, and just when I know my body is ready to explode, I warn him in a high-pitched breath, “Haden, I’m going to…”
Releasing my inhibitions, I scream as the orgasm spreads throughout my whole body, causing me to see only stars in the dark room. He follows, picking up the pace, holding a deep breath until he releases and cries out, “Fuck!!”
Slowing down the pace till I’m at a standstill, my tired body falls onto his, careful of my protruding stomach.
In silence, with him still inside me, we lay together, my head lying against his chest. His heart is beating loud, and I wonder if it beats for me…maybe only me?
“Presley,” he murmurs, running his hands through my hair.
“Mmm…”
“Presley…”
I open my eyes and Haden is sitting on the chair beside the table, dressed in his jeans and a tee. The sunlight is filtering through the sheer white curtains and into the room. I squint my eyes and then open them abruptly.
“We need to leave in an hour and I’ve already ordered you breakfast.” He moves his attention to his cell, typing without looking at me.
It was just a dream.
Fuck! What the hell did my imagination go and do? It made me think that Haden would give me the best sex of my life, and worst of all, that he wanted only me. That I was in love with him.
In my awkward and compromising position, I roll towards the other side of the bed which is in closer proximity to the bathroom door. I quickly get out and lock the door behind me. Staring in the mirror while I allow the water to run, my body appears flushed, my hair is a tangled wild mess, and my lips look swollen and plump. What a fucking dream! I have no choice but to take a cold shower to wash off the intense desire I have for him.
It all felt so real, the way he touched me, the words he spoke…ARGH!
I exit the bathroom, dressed and with my hair pulled back into a ponytail. Food sits on the table, and if it wasn’t for the baby, I would be out of this room so fast, hungry or not. I eat my toast in silence and follow by polishing off some juice.
“You ready to go?” he asks, a little too politely for my liking.
I simply nod, unable to make conversation.
“Are you okay? You were having a restless sleep.”
I grab my purse and pull my suitcase along. “Just a nightmare.”
“Me too. Must be the heat in the room.”
“Maybe. Thank God it wasn’t real.”
It’s the last thing I mumble before we exit the room and head back to reality.
