Page 68 of Leah

“What?”

“Let’s spend the night here. It’ll be like coming full circle again.”

“But what about Rome and…?” My voice trailed off as we came to a stop right in front of the sign.

“What about ‘em?” Carter asked on a shrug. “It’s just you and me. Forget the rest of the world for a moment. What doyouwant to do? Go back to your apartment, stalk me online and go to sleep, regretting not being with me? Or buy a night at this shit-house motel, eat nasty vending machine snacks, and spend the night talking? It’s up to you.”

The drops came down a little harder now, and I glanced around the barren streets, unsure of what to do. I knew what my heart wanted, and for once my brain wasn’t spouting its stupid logical drivel.

It didn’t need to.

I wasn’t slipping, I suddenly realized.

I knew I was strong enough to pull my phone out and call Melanie. I was sure I could be away from him; that I could be in my bed in a matter of hours if that was truly what I wanted. Andthat was the first time I actually admired myself because I didn’t feel consumed enough in someone that it was out of my control.

Iwasin control, and Icoulddecide to stay or go. Just like how I’d decided not to see him yesterday. I’d grown enough to be okay with either.

That Carter-induced haze had cleared.

I stared up at him, saw the rain pelting him, sticking parts of his hair to his beautiful, chiselled face. His plump lips were soaked, his eyelashes coated with water drops, his t-shirt pressed against every inch of his torso, giving me a glorious view of those abs.

In all seriousness, would any girl walk away from this?

“Okay,” I finally said on a firm nod. “Let’s do this.”

Twenty

Leah

Ihad gone into the motel office, my shoes squeaking noisily with every step, and booked the room in myself. I had Carter waiting outside under the awning with his front facing the wall. The last thing I wanted was for us to be discovered and have a mob of people outside our room come morning.

What a strange new reality I was living.

“You look like something a cat dragged in,” the miserable young receptionist told me as I signed my name in the guestbook. She kept giving me a dirty look, her nose wrinkling like I stunk or something.

“Well, I mean, it’s raining,” I replied matter-of-factly. “And I’ve just walked, like, six kilometres, so…”

“Is that guy your boyfriend?” she then asked, setting her nail filer down, staring at the entrance door. I followed her gaze and saw Carter’s back outside, some feet away. I could hardly see a clear view of him from where I stood. It was pouring down rain, and the awning did little to keep him out of it. What I did see was a tall, well-built man, his light hair plastered to the back of his neck.

Fucking hell, he was sexy.

I gave her a strange look. “Uh, not really.”

“I saw you both walking over. He looks familiar,” she continued.

“He gets that a lot.”

Her eyes narrowed in thought. “It’s almost like I’ve seen him before somewhere.”

I set the pen down. “Unlikely.”

“Well, that’s what I think.”

“Okay.”

“What’s his name?”

“John.”

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