Page 68 of Rocky Mountain Desire
Hope nodded then scooted down the back hall to where the bathrooms were. This was wonderful. Just a relaxing evening out. No deadlines hanging over her head. Plus, the lack of interference from her sister seemed to imply Helen was coming to grips with reality.
Life was pretty damn wonderful.
And now that they’d dealt with that stupid hesitation of Matt’s to being the kind of man he wanted to be in the bedroom—there was the potential for things to get even better. They’d shared a ton of good sex in the past few days—rocking-good sex where Matt made her more than glad she’d shared regarding her fantasy lover.
She exited the ladies room and paused. Out of the corner of her eye she’d caught movement. Pressed against the far wall beside the fire exit she spied a couple in pretty much the same position she and Matt had just enjoyed. A tall figure with a short crew cut leaned one hand on the wall, the other hand caught in his partner’s hair. Hope peered through the darkness and hesitated. She had no intention of interrupting—especially not when the top kisser rocked his hips slowly. A shot of something wild and sensual flashed through her.Hmm.She snuck deeper into the shadows, the need to allow them piracy forgotten as she watched and listened.
Then the couple twisted slightly sideways and a jolt went clear through to her toes. The man with the jet-black hair had complete control over the person smeared up against the wall. And from the square jawline with the five o’clock shadow, thekisseewas definitely masculine.
It was two men locked together and Hope’s heart skipped a beat at the raw passion. The edgy, almost violent motion between them. A long, low masculine groan rang out as their hips ground together. The dim lighting didn’t allow her to see their faces clearly, which was probably a good thing. Hope forced herself to retreat, peeling her gaze away. Watching could become a bad habit if she let it. She made her way back to the table, tingles of excitement still simmering in her system.
Good thing she was headed toward Matt, who she knew could do something definitive about her sexual tension.
Matt slipped away from the gathering to start his truck so it would warm up before they headed to Hope’s. She had to open the shop early while he was off morning chores this weekend, and it made more sense to crash at the apartment.
He grinned to think that he got to consider such things. Where they would sleep, whose bed, which home. It was a neat stage to be at in their relationship—comfortable and exciting at the same time. He hit the john before turning toward the main room. A solid grasp on his arm jerked him to a stop, and he twisted to face his attacker.
Helen’s bright blue eyes shone in the faint hall light.
Matt jerked his sleeve from her fingers. “What?”
She snorted. “So much for the legendary Coleman politeness. Nice to see you again too.”
He stepped back a foot and looked her over quickly. Her outfit was far more revealing than it used to be when they dated, and the neckline seemed to be unevenly buttoned. “You want something?”
Because there wasn’t much he wanted to talk to her about.
“Just thought we could visit for a minute or two. It’s been a long time, and we didn’t get to discuss much the other night. I figured I’d find you around here. Colemans’ traditional Friday night meeting at Traders, and all that.”
Nowshe admitted she knew about the family traditions? He waited. The way she dropped her shoulders—her entire body language—was far from the confident, almost demanding woman he’d been with over a year ago.
She lifted her head and stared into his eyes. “I’ve missed you.”
A shot of pain stabbed him, not in his heart, but in his gut. If she’d come back a month after leaving—or even six months later and looked at him like this? Confessed that same thing? He would have given her a chance. Would have tried to find a way to forgive her for cheating on him.
But too much time had passed and it was no longer enough. He’d moved on, and all her confession did was make him sad.
“Sounds as if you had a lot of time to think.” Matt leaned on the wall, his arms crossed in front of him. Putting up a barrier between them that was far smaller than the ones she’d shoved into place.
Her gaze fixed on his mouth. “About a lot of things. About how good you and I were together. Matt, this past year, not having you in my life? God, it was tough.”
He didn’t want to listen anymore. “It was tough for a while for me too, but things change. It gets better. Give it time, you’ll figure it out.”
“Matt, I want to get back together with you.”
The burst of laughter couldn’t be stopped. “You’re fucking kidding me, right? Or are you drunk again like at New Year’s?”
He was trapped in the back hallway of a bar with the woman he’d loved for most of his adult life before she’d taught him to hate. And only recently, he’d learned to forget.
She stepped against him, slipped her hands around his waist and dropped her head on his chest. “Not drunk. I love you, Matt. I always did.”
This was not happening. Matt grabbed her upper arms and peeled her off. She had to let go unless she wanted to actually cling as he forced her away. “Oh, no. Don’t you dare. You’re not actually doing this…”
Helen tilted her head to the side, tears shining in her eyes. “But it’s true. It just took me a while to understand. I mean it. You always wanted me to say it. I can tell you now. I love you. I want to be with you.”
My God, this was some kind of nightmare. Matt backed down the hall, trying to escape as she swung from smiling and seductive into a weeping mess. “Damn it. What the hell do you think you’re doing? You’re the one who ripped us apart last year. You left, Helen. Not me. And even if by some strange chance we had called it off together, did you really think you could just waltz back in and we’d be a couple again? You’re crazy.”
He turned on his heel and walked away. There was nothing more he had to say. Nothing she could say that he wanted to hear.
