He held up a gentle finger. “Ah... you can’t say no, remember?”
“Babe, your place is a Hilton compared to mine.”
“So?” he asked, running his thumb along her bottom lip. “I don’t notice anything besides you anyway.”
Tegan couldn’t suppress a small smile. “That’s either the best pick up line or the worst. I just don’t know about you, mister. You strike me as one of those types that just want to do things to me in my bedroom.”
Tegan was playing, and they both knew it. But what he said in return wasn’t playing. She knew he meant every word, leaning in slowly to kiss her neck as he spoke, “Not just your bedroom. There’s the front door... the hallway... the couch... the dining room table... the kitchen...”
Tegan gripped his hoodie and closed her eyes, letting him in. Letting his mouth roam over her sensitive skin. Deliberately, slowly driving her wild. “Where else?” she hissed into his ear.
“Where else what, my dear?”
“Come on, don’t make me say it,” she replied, casting a sweeping glance of the handful of smokers before kissing his cheek. She gasped in response as he gripped her arse, firmly.
“Say it,” he said, cupping her arse and bringing her into him to hold her close as his hands moved all over her.
“Where else do you wanna fuck me?”
“Oh... that. Kitchen sink... balcony... shower... again—”
She placed a hand over his mouth. Time for talking was over.
* * *
Tegan ran her fingers down his chest and stomach, pleasantly numb several hours later. She had no idea what time it was but a good guess was after midnight. They had both been fighting sleep by having more sex. But sleep, as it always seems to, was catching up fast.
“What time is your flight to LA?” she asked.
“Nine in the morning. Gotta be at the airport by six.”
“Shit... you’ve really got to get some sleep,” she said, yawning.
“Can’t. You still haven’t told me your request. I got mine. And I can’t say no.”
Don’t go. Just say it. Who cares what it means if you do. Tell him you want him to stay. Fuck the fighting out of LA. Stay here. With you. Yes, it’s crazy. You hardly know him. You don’t care if he loses all his money by not honouring his sponsor deals. You’ll be OK. You’ll find something, some way to survive. Just tell him how you feel…
“Say goodbye to me now,” she sighed. “Don’t wake me up when you leave.”
“You don’t want to watch me walk out, do you?”
Don’t want to? I don’t think I physically can! Do you have any idea how much these last few days have meant to me?“It’s asking a lot.”
He pressed his lips against her forehead. “Thank you.”
“For the sex?” she giggled playfully.
“For giving me the best time here I could’ve hoped for. For coming to the fight even though you didn't want to. For saying yes to going out with me. For the date. For caring enough about me with the car accident. For being there when I needed you after the contract meeting. For being there with me and Olivia.”
“So... the sex was great, huh?”
Owen gave a smile that melted her heart as he brushed her nose with his own. “I’ll be back to film for that arsehole when I can. I’d love to keep in touch and see you when I’m in town?”
No way. Not to go through this again. Clean break. That’s what’s needed. Just say it’s not a good idea.
“Sure, I’d love that too,” she eventually replied.
The next moment, or so it seemed, her alarm was going off. The one she always had set for work. It took a few seconds to realise he had done what she asked. He was gone. She felt, even now, it was the right thing to request, but that didn’t stop the silent, hot tears streaking down her cheeks. She wiped at her nose and caught with her peripheral vision a glint to her right. There, hanging on her desk light, was Owen’s red V medallion. Under it, was a note.