Page 102 of The Breakaway

He pointed to a door across the hall. "Shared with Rory and Bear. Keeps things interesting."

I laughed. "I bet."

Rob sat on the edge of the bed and looked up at me. "Not quite as nice as our previous accommodations.”

I set down my backpack and violin case, then walked over and sat next to him. “The mattress is nice.” I ran my hands over his comforter.

“Hmm. Super sexy pickup line. How long?—”

I smacked him, and Rob caught my arm, pulling me down on the bed next to him. We adjusted until we lay side by side, his arm under my head, curving around my side.

My hands trembled. My heart raced like I'd downed five cups of coffee, and I had no idea what to do with myself. I wanted to be close to Rob. That much was clear. But I was also emotionally compromised, and I had no idea if this was the right moment to act on my attraction.

“I’m sorry I was rude,” Rob said, his hand running up and down my arm.

“You were rude?” I allowed my hand to wander over his chest, electricity flaring against my fingertips as I felt the outline of his pec, the dip before his shoulder started.

“Yeah. I was.” Rob drew in a breath. “When I found out you read the letter.”

I considered this. “I don’t think you were rude. I was the one who broke the rules.”

“I regretted walking away from you. And then when you left?—”

I smoothed my hand up to his neck, running my hands over his jaw. “I’m sorry you had to spend Christmas alone. I thought of you the whole time I was at Crystal’s. But I didn’t want to . . . I didn’t want to be disloyal to Logan.” I pushed myself a little higher so I could see his face.

Rob smoothed the hair from my forehead. “I shouldn’t have given you a massage.”

“Uh, no. You shouldn’t have.”

Rob laughed out loud. “I wanted to touch you so damn bad. I was making up excuses.”

“I’ve never been that turned on in my life.” I stilled, realizing what I’d just admitted.

Rob’s smile faded. “Is that true?”

My heart suddenly felt like it belonged to a bird or a rabbit. Beating so fast, I was sure it was going to short circuit. “It’s true.”

Rob pushed up on his elbow, laying my head on his pillow and curling his body until he looked down into my face. “I don’t expect anything. Just because you’re staying here. You know that, right?”

I nodded, my mouth so dry, I could barely swallow. “I think—I might need some time.” The second it left my lips, I hated myself for saying it. I didn’t want time. I wanted to pull off Rob’s shirt and press my face up against every square centimetre of his skin. I wanted to pick up right where we left off in our living room.

But even though I was sure Logan and I weren’t getting back together, I wasn’t sure what I’d be feeling in the morning.

“Yeah, of course.” Rob dropped back to the pillow. “Whatever you need.”

I reached up and turned his face to mine. “What about what you need? I don’t want this to hurt. I know you’ve been hurting, and?—”

“No.” Rob slid a hand over my waist. “Having you here is . . . “ He let out a shaky exhale. “More than I ever could’ve asked for.” His fingers tightened against my hip. “But don’t take that as me being satisfied. I’m saying I’ve waited a year, and I’ll wait as long as you need. But you know how I feel, and I’m not going anywhere.”

Heat flared within me, zinging through my middle and hitting the ends of my fingers and toes before snapping back and humming through my hips and thighs. I wasn’t satisfied either. And I was pretty sure we both knew it.

Rob’s jaw tensed, and then he forced himself from the bed. “I got you something. For Christmas.”

I frowned. “You got me a present?”

Rob sat up and put his feet on the floor. "Yeah. I wasn’t going to give it to you and make things weird, but—" He crossed the room, and my curiosity was piqued.

Rob pulled open his dresser and rifled through his clothes. I heard the crinkle of a plastic bag, then he turned and walked back to the bed. He pulled something out. A rectangular black box.

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