Page 78 of Just One Night Together

She was really curious about how Damon lived and whether there were any clues to his secrets to be found in the house, but she didn’t want to look nosy. She had a definite sense that she’d pushed him far enough for the moment and that her curiosity would probably be unwelcome.

She’d never even expected to be invited into the house.

She liked him, really liked him, and respected how honorable and strong he was. He was the kind of man she could fall in love with, if she had been inclined to do such a thing again.

It was too easy to remember how much Garrett’s betrayal had hurt. Her heart clenched a little even now and she felt a little of that old yearning for his company. She’d thought they were so good together. She’d thought she could have it all.

And she’d been so wrong. Haley never wanted to be that vulnerable again. She still thought of Garrett as the ideal man, even though his decision to marry someone other than her was far from ideal.

Was she waiting for another man just like Garrett to walk into her life?

Or maybe Garrett himself?

Was her story about never being vulnerable the truth, or was it an excuse? Her new perspective for the year made her wonder if it was an indication of fear.

She had been badly hurt by Garrett. She knew she’d never love anyone else the way she’d loved him.

All the same, there was something about Damon that drew Haley back over and over again. She felt a connection with him, and couldn’t resist him. It was more than sex, even if it couldn’t be more than it already was. Haley knew better than to want something impossible. Love was fleeting, no matter how powerful it was, and the trick was to enjoy it while it lasted—not to hope for it to last forever.

They were in the best moment. That’s what was seductive and made her think of the future. But the best moment always ended. It was better to be prepared than to dream and be surprised.

Damon would meet someone else. She might meet someone else. They would have sex with other people and move on.

But she would enjoy this while it lasted, because being with Damon made her happy.

She could hear Damon talking to his partner, but didn’t want to eavesdrop on him.

Haley put in her earbuds and turned on some music on her phone, placing it on the counter as she diced vegetables. She had a loop of various versions of her favorite song, which seemed perfectly appropriate under the circumstances.

She’d drive all night to have sex with Damon, that was for sure.

That impulse couldn’t possibly be a bad thing.

* * *

Damon leanedin the doorway to the kitchen, watching Haley. She was in her stocking feet, wearing tights and a swingy knit dress, dancing in his kitchen. She had her back to him and was singing, oblivious to his presence thanks to her earbuds. Her phone was on the counter beside her, and she was adding diced carrots to a big bowl as she sang. It was already loaded with mixed greens and chopped peppers.

She was singing out of tune.

Loudly and passionately.

She was impossibly cute.

He knew she wouldn’t be able to hear him approach and didn’t want her to jump in surprise and get hurt. She’d chosen a big knife and job one was making sure it didn’t fall. He covered her hand with one of his in the same moment that he caught her around the waist from behind. He held that hand down on the cutting board, ensuring that the knife couldn’t do any damage. She released it, then twisted in his embrace and smiled up at him, still singing along.

But now she was singing to him.

Damon removed one of her earbuds and put it in his own ear. It was Cyndi Lauper’s version ofI Drove All Night, an infectious and energetic song that he heard often at the club. The beat was perfect for working out or dancing.

“My favorite,” Haley admitted when it ended. “Next up is the Roy Orbison version.” She lifted a finger. “Which was recorded first but released second. Posthumously.”

“And after that, Céline Dion’s version?”

“No, Pinmonkey is next.” She shook her head, making that ponytail bounce. “They have to be in chronological order.”

“Ah, I missed that bit.”

“ThenCéline Dion, then the Maccabees, then the Protomen, and then Carly Smithson.” She gave him a triumphant look. “Before this, I listened to Ray Dylan’s version and John Waite’s version.”

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