Page 71 of Christmas Candy

“I’ve never loved her. And it’s obvious she doesn’t love me, given her ways. It’s only a passing fancy. Nothing more.” He smoothed his palm along my cheek and dropped a kiss on my lips.

I pulled away. “I need to dress and leave. See if I can fix things with her.”

“You don’t have to—”

I stood and grabbed up my clothes before hurrying into the bathroom, blanket and all, and dressed. I came back out, not looking at Eamon, and glanced around for my bag.Shit. My things were in my car at the bar.

He’d thrown on some shorts and a jersey. “I can drive you to your car.”

“No. I’ll get someone downstairs to take me.”

“Come on, Laurel. Let me at least drive you.” He held out his hand to me.

I couldn’t. Not after what had just happened. I shook my head, trying to ignore the burning tears that welled into my vision.

“Please?” He hadn’t dropped his hand and his voice had a slight quaver, as if my refusal might crush him. He was so strong, so intense, that I couldn’t believe his request was delivered with such vulnerability.

Instinctively, I reached out and took his hand. He smiled, the corners of his lips turning up just slightly, and led me out the door and down to his car. We rode to the pub in silence. I wrestled with how I could try and make it up to Claudia. Eamon sat quietly next to me, holding my hand but not intruding on my thoughts.

The pub’s parking lot only had a few cars left from the night before. He pulled up next to my car and I opened my door to get out.

“Will I see you tonight?” He gripped my hand harder and pulled me to him. His lips met mine and took my breath away, just as surely as they did in this same parking lot the night before. I melted under his touch, his palm sweeping down my cheek and resting lightly at my throat. So much so, that I could get lost in this one moment. He tilted my head to the side and played his tongue along mine, teasing and stroking.

I pulled back before I was lost to him again. “I have to go. Claudia. I need to smooth things over.”

“Tonight?” He asked again and stared at my lips like he wanted to take them again.

“I’ll text you, okay?”

His face fell but he let go of my hand. “All right.”

A twinge of pain shot through my chest at the thought that I’d hurt him. But I couldn’t make any promises, not if I wanted to repair things with Claudia.

I dropped one more peck on his cheek and got out. He waited until I was in my car and out on the road before he pulled out and headed back toward his dorm.

I pep-talked myself the entire way back to my dorm, pretending I was explaining the situation to Claudia and talking sense into her. I knew it wouldn’t be that easy. With Claudia, it never was.

Her car was outside when I pulled up. After a few deep calming breaths, I climbed the steps to our room and crept down the hall. Listening at the door, I didn’t hear anything, but I knew she had to be inside.

I eased the key into the lock and swung the door inward. She was lying on her bed, her back to me. She made no move to let me know she’d heard me, but I knew she did.

“Claudia, I’m sorry.”

A sniffle.

I dropped my backpack and purse and went to her, sitting next to her on the bed. It was time to come clean. “I’ve had a thing for him ever since I saw him that morning.”

“When he was withme.” She laced her words with venom, but I heard the hurt, too.

I stroked her long red hair. This was classic Claudia – intense blowup and then she settled down into a gloom for a few days before she snapped back.

“Yes. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have. I got carried away.” I let the guilt swirl around me.

“Do you love him?” She turned to look at me, her green eyes bloodshot in the morning light.

“I don’t know.” The answer sounded off even to my ears.Did I love him?

“Why doesn’t he love me?”

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