I go through the apartment again, just in case I missed something. That’s when I see the note stuck to the coffee machine, where she knew I’d see it.
Thanks for a fun night.
My apartment’s free again and I didn’t want to wake you.
Have a safe ride back.
Cleo x
“Fuck.”
I crumple the note into a ball in my fist.
Thanks for a fun night.
Is that all this was to her? A bit of fun?
I think back to the sex last night, how I tried to take it slow. I wanted to savor the moment of our first time together. But Cleo was hell-bent on riding me hard.
My cock thickens at the memory. I guess I didn’t resist too much. But maybe that’s all she wanted from me.
A bubble of anger rises up inside me, and I launch the note at the floor to ceiling windows. It bounces off the glass and rolls onto the floor and under the couch.
“Fuck.”
I better pick it up or my brother will find it and wonder what the fuck we were up to in his bed. I get down on my knees and retrieve the note.
I open it again, needing to see the words from her.
How could I have been so wrong about our connection? I thought she felt it too. I thought we shared something special.
Then it hits me.
Have a safe ride back.
Cleo thinks I’m leaving.
She thinks I’m heading back to the Sunset Coast. But the truth is, I’m not going anywhere unless it’s with Cleo.
I never told her how I feel. I didn’t want to overwhelm her, and now I’ve done the opposite.
She thinks I’m going to abandon her.
With my heart in my throat, I race to the bedroom and pull my clothes on.
I’ve got to find Cleo and let her know how I feel.
13
CLEO
“Just keep breathing,” I mutter to myself. It’s what I used to say when things were bad with Mom. “Just keep breathing and everything will work itself out.”
It’s the only way to hold back the emotions that threaten to burst out of my chest as I step out of the elevator and into the underground parking lot.
My suitcase trails behind me and my laptop bag’s slung over my shoulder. I’m glad I kept everything together. It made it easy to pack up this morning while Kray was asleep.
The thought of Kray sends a slice of pain to my heart, and I take a deep breath. I knew when I woke up this morning next to him, my heart light and content, that I had to leave.