Page 63 of Back in the Saddle

Most especially, he’d dig knowing I had this capable crew in my life.

On these thoughts, I turned my head and shoved my face in his throat.

Eric tangled his long fingers in my hair.

“It’s really cool you came, but you don’t have to be here,” I said into his skin.

“Something else you should know about Jack and Rose.”

I tensed at this intro, but prompted, “What?” when he said no more.

“Jack did the right thing. Not because he was a guy, and she was a woman. But because he cared about her, and he gave everything just for a shot that she’d make it out alive.”

Oh fuck.

That did it.

A painful hiccup surged up my throat, I pressed my face deep into his neck, and the tears came.

Eric untangled his hand from my hair, wrapped his arm around my shoulders, and both of them held me close and tight.

He didn’t say a word. No murmurs of encouragement to get it out. No statements that it was going to be all right.

He was silent.

And very, verythere.

Even when I quit crying, and nestled into him, my cheek to his chest, he didn’t say anything.

I really wanted to know what he was about, what was happening with us.

But in that moment, he felt so good, and it felt so good, having someone close, having someone hold me, specifically havinghimthere, I couldn’t break that moment. I couldn’t mess it up.

I’d never had it, but I knew I needed it.

Especially from him.

So I went with it.

I fell asleep with it, just like that, held close in Eric Turner’s strong arms, cocooned in his long body.

But around eight hours later, in my bed, the covers tucked tight around me, I woke up alone.

SEVEN

WORTH IT

I’d texted the girls I was running late and told them I’d meet them at Brunch Snob.

Along the way, I did my best, but my best wasn’t good enough.

So when I finally arrived and swung into my seat in the kickass establishment (my chair having the wordcutieon the back, others hadtasty,sexy,naughty,queenand the like, the décor part of why Brunch Snob was the greatest, the fabulous food and drinks did the rest), I knew I hadn’t tamped down my shit mood that Eric had taken off…again…leaving me high and dry and totally confused.

I knew this, because the instant Luna got a load of me, she remarked, “Methinks someone didn’t sleep so great.”

The server showed, and I said, “Latte. Hot. Full fat. And your poutine.”

I hadn’t even looked at the menu.

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