Page 28 of Missing Pieces (Men of Manhattan 3)

"I get that."

We sped down the highway in silence again. Maybe we could both leave the darkness behind.

Chapter 14

Tyler

Monday

"Really? They didn't have a single room with two queen beds? There are barely any cars here." I looked around the almost empty parking lot.

She shrugged her shoulders. "That's what the guy at the front desk said. Maybe all the rooms with queens are being renovated or something." She quickly looked away from me.

I smiled as I pulled her duffel bag over my shoulder. "Maybe." But it kind of just seemed like she wanted to sleep in the same bed as me again.

Today had been the easiest day between us. I had finally gotten her to open up. She was trying to save her father's business, which was admirable. I didn't really understand why she couldn't try to get a loan from a bank in Indiana, but I wasn't going to push the subject. I was grateful that she had told me what little she did.

And honestly, it felt good to get some stuff off my chest too. Hailey was understanding. She had made me feel a little better about everything. Unlike last night when she had told me to grow a pair.

I didn't avoid staring at her ass as I followed her up the stairs to our room. She had kissed me the other night. She had definitely just requested a room with one bed. If she tried to kiss me again, this time I would kiss her back.

But nothing happened when we got into the room. We both got ready for bed and a silence fell over us again. Maybe I was wrong about the sleeping situation. Maybe they really were renovating all the rooms with queen beds. I climbed into the other side of the bed and turned off the light.

I hated going to sleep without saying anything. Really what I wanted to do was wrap my arms around her. I wanted her to know that she wasn't alone, despite what she thought. And maybe I needed to be reminded that I wasn't alone either. I stared at the ceiling, waiting for her to fall asleep, but her breathing never seemed to slow.

I rolled toward her. "Everything has a way of working out, you know."

For a second I thought she was asleep, but then she said, "Yeah? I'm not so sure."

"It does."

"How is the love of your life marrying someone else working out for you?"

I swallowed down the lump in my throat.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I don't know why I said that."

"Actually, it's working out okay. I got to meet you, didn't I?"

She didn't say anything for a long time. "Goodnight, Tyler." She rolled away from me.

***

I breathed in the sweetest smell. Roses and cinnamon maybe. I took another deep breath and my eyes flew open. My face was nuzzled in Hailey's hair. I stayed completely still. My arm was wrapped around her and my palm was flat against her stomach. I had pushed up her t-shirt and my skin was flush against hers. But her hand was on top of mine, holding me in place.

I slowly exhaled. We were in the middle of the bed. It's like we had both gravitated toward each other in the night. My knee was pressed between her thighs. And I was so fucking hard.

Shit. I couldn't let her wake up with me holding her like this with a hard on. She'd think I was perverted. But a small part of me didn't want to let go. I wanted to slide my knee higher up her thighs and see if she wanted me like I wanted her. I wanted her to be as wet as I was hard.

What the fuck am I doing? I very slowly slipped my hand out from underneath of hers, skating it down her firm stomach. I stopped right above her underwear line. I wanted to slip my fingers into her panties. I wanted to wake her up the way she deserved to be woken up every day. I could imagine how tight she would be. I swallowed hard.

What the hell is wrong with me? I removed my hand from her stomach and slowly rolled off the bed. The smell of roses and cinnamon seemed to completely surround me. She smelled amazing. I didn't want to leave the room. I didn't want that smell to fade.

At the rate we were going, we'd be in Pasadena in just a few days. I didn't want our time to end without exploring what could have been. In just a few days, I'd be in basic training. Then I'd be in the Marine Corps for three years of service. Another three years living in regret seemed like the worst possible thing. And for the first time in a long time, I wasn't thinking about what could have been. I was thinking about the girl sleeping in front of me. And how much I wanted her.

A run wasn't going to help me this morning. I needed a long, cold shower.

***

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