But my feet had plans of their own.
That was how I wound up standing in front of the door to Heidi's room with my fist raised to knock. I froze then, staring at the metal numbers attached to the door. Heidi must've been inside. If I came here to see her, I ought to knock. Why was I hesitating?
Because I had become a brainless idiot.
I rapped on the door.
When it opened a few seconds later, Heidi gaped at me. "Damian?"
"Yeah, that's still my name. Glad you remember it." If I'd tried really hard maybe I could've come up with something even dumber to say. "How are you? Ruth said you grabbed some food and took off without talking to anyone."
"I wanted to eat alone. Is that a crime?"
"No, but—"
"Good night, Damian." She slammed the door in my face.
What the hell?
I banged on the door until she opened it again. "What is wrong with you? I came here to make sure you're okay, but you're acting like I'm a criminal trying to break into your room."
"Go away, please. I don't want to sleep with you."
"What part of anything I just said implied I want to sleep with you?"
She flattened her lips, one hand on the door, one foot tapping furiously. "Just leave, okay? I don't have to explain myself to you."
"No, but—"
Heidi slammed the door. Again.
To hell with this. She had clearly gone insane since the last time I saw her, and I didn't feel like trying to talk her down. If she wanted to behave like a lunatic, she could go for it.
But not with me. I was done. No more fantasizing about Heidi or trying to make Heidi feel better or massaging Heidi's palm. It was over.
Not that we'd ever had a thing in the first place.
I stalked out of the guest house, veering toward my wagon. Whenever I needed a little peace and quiet, I retreated into my little gypsy home. I got about halfway there when someone ran up behind me and seized my arm, forcing me to stop. I half-turned to face that person.
Heidi was breathing hard, her tits heaving. "I'm sorry, Damian."
"For which part? Slamming the door in my face twice, or announcing out of frigging nowhere that you don't want to sleep with me?"
"All of it." She still had her hand on my arm, but now she slid it down to my hand, slipping her fingers between mine. "I panicked when I saw you, which has kind of become my signature move lately."
"What did I do? A palm reading was supposed to be fun, but I must've screwed it up somehow."
"No, it's not you. I've made a lot of mistakes with men, and I'm terrified I'll screw up this time too."
This time? That almost sounded like she was saying… No, she couldn't have meantthat.
"I like you, Damian," she said, "and it scares me. So I panicked."
"Because I knocked on your door."
She moved closer, clasping my hand more firmly. "Because I'd been thinking about you ever since the palm-reading thing. I've been, um…fantasizing about you."
"I fantasize about you too."