Page 21 of Breakaway

“Remi! Oh, thank god, you’re okay!” Delise turned to Jase and her mouth parted and she blinked. “Uh….”

“Delise, I’m fine.”

Remi turned to the police officer, her cheeks scorching. “I’m so sorry, officers, everything is fine.”

“Uh huh.”

Remi stacked one bare foot on top of the other, glad Jase’s shirt covered her to her knees, and wrapped her arms around herself. “Delise! Was this really necessary?”

Delise snapped her mouth shut and swiveled her gaze to Remi. “I told you I would call you! Where’s your cell phone?”

Remi swallowed and rolled her lips in. “Um…in my purse. In the living room.”

Delise pursed her lips and planted her hands on her hips. “Remi, I can’t believe you! I said I’d call and you’d better answer and…”

“I know, I know, but I forgot all about that and we were…um…kind of busy.” She tried to ignore the smirks on the faces of the policemen. “But I’m okay, truly.”

“I guess we can go, then,” one officer said.

“I am so sorry,” Delise said to them. “But I really thought…she’d left with a stranger and we’d arranged…well…thank you.”

“Hey,” said the other officer, looking at Jase. “Aren’t you…”

“No,” Jase said firmly, turning away. Remi shot a glance at him as the officers shrugged and left. As she closed the door, she saw with relief they’d turned off the flashing lights. What would the neighbors think? Lord!

She turned back to Delise and Jase, both eyeing each other and giving each other tight smiles.

“I’ll go home now,” Delise said. “I’m sorry to interrupt you, but dammit, Remi…”

“I know. I know.” She held up a hand. “I take responsibility. You did say that and I just forgot. I never thought you’d actually call the police, though!”

“I’ve been phoning you for the last two hours! I started calling an hour after you left and…well, that was fast work is all I can say.”

Jase grinned.

Remi’s insides shook and burned. “I’m sorry, Delise.”

She hugged her friend, then watched her out the window as she got into her car and drove away. She again turned back to face Jase. “I am so sorry.” She covered her mouth with her hands.

“Yeah. Well. Maybe I’d better go.”

She wanted to protest, but clamped her mouth shut and followed him back to the bedroom where the rest of his clothes were. She pulled out her thick white terry robe and replaced Jase’s shirt with it. Reluctantly she handed the shirt over to him. Silky soft, it smelled delicious, like him, warm male and spicy shower gel.

When he’d finished dressing, having stuffed his tie into his suit pocket, he paused. “I’ll need to call a taxi.”

“Oh. Yeah.”

He pulled out a cell phone and punched in a number—taxi on speed dial?—then she led him to the front door where his coat hung.

This wasn’t ending the way she would have liked.

Dammit.

“I’m sorry,” she began again, but he stopped her with a finger on her lips.

“Stop apologizing,” he said softly. He took her into his arms and pulled her up against him. She went up on her toes and it still wasn’t enough, so he lifted her right off the floor and kissed her. “It’s okay.” Another kiss. “Can I have your number, at least? I’ll call you.”

Sure he would.

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