I choked out a laugh, embarrassed. I couldn’t believe what they suggested. My glance shot out toward the open door and Ariella, who had stepped out into the hallway. Fuck me. I’d pretend she didn’t hear what Declan said because I wished I hadn’t heard it.
Her footsteps grew louder as she knocked on the open door.
“I thought I told you to stay in my office?” I threw my arms up into the air. “Why does no one listen to me around here?” I stomped past Ariella on the way out of Declan’s office.
Ariella didn’t move.
“Are you coming?” I shouted over my shoulder.
“Do I have to?” I heard her mutter under her breath. My cell phone buzzed in my pocket. I grunted and held up a finger to tell her to hold on a second while I checked the caller ID. It was Skylar.
It was like she knew when I was busy and had to call and pester me. What now? I couldn’t deal with her. I rejected her call, took a long slow breath to regroup. I turned around to yell at Ariella to hurry up when I discovered she had already followed, silent and practically invisible on my heel.
I stopped abruptly when I turned around to face her, and she nearly slammed into my chest. Her reflexes were fast catching herself before we collided. I almost wished she had knocked into me. It would have given me an excuse to touch her.
“I’m going to pay for your room in advance over the internet. If anyone asks, including Emma, tell her that you’re staying at the resort until insurance is figured out with your house,” I said. She needed to be prepared for questions, especially returning to Blue Sky Resort.
“I’ve got it handled. Don’t worry,” she said, giving me a reassuring smile. She reached out and rested a hand on my arm. “Are you okay?” her voice was soft and sweet like honey. I wanted to pull her against me, touch her, taste her, and let the agony that filled my heart disappear.
“Just tired,” I said. Her touch was soft yet firm. I pulled away. We couldn’t do that or be that for each other.
She shuffled her feet. It was the most I’d seen her move all morning. “I didn’t hear Izzie last night. Did she keep you up? I must have slept through it.”
“It wasn’t Izzie.” I didn’t elaborate. How could I? The smell of her scent on my pillow kept me awake all night. She’d think I was crazy if I told her the truth. Maybe I was going slowly insane, needing my next fix ofher.
I hadn’t ever felt the desire as strong as I did now, a deep ache that tore away at me every second that I couldn’t touch her or be with her. We’d only shared one night together. It had been wonderful, but I had to push it out of my head. Exhaustion had crept over me and made me desperate.