Page 51 of Castling the Rook (Checkmate 3)

Riley Cruz might be my biggest‘could’ve been’,and even if I see the end barreling down on us, I don’t tell him to stop. I don’t tell him I’m scared to leave. And I sure as hell don’t tell him I want more.

Instead, I hug my bag and let him drive us the whole hour in silence, and all the while, I pretend like the scenery outside my window is the most riveting thing I’ve ever seen in my life.

Eventually he pulls into short term parking and pays an exorbitant fee to park a car that doesn’t belong to him, a parking fee he doesn’t have to pay if he simply pushed me out the door and told me to find my way through the airport on my own.

But he doesn’t. He parks. He pays. He opens my door and holds my bags.

With his arm thrown over my shoulder, and my bag in his other hand, he leads me as far as non-ticketed passengers are allowed, then with his badge in hand, he leads me a little further until security calls his bluff and won’t let him onto the plane.

“So I guess this is it.” Turning, I wait for him to set my bags down by our feet in the boarding lounge. Reaching up, I cup his smooth jaw and stroke the side with my thumbs. “I had a really good time with you, Cruz. Truly I did.”

“I had a good time too, Dee. Thanks for coming back.”

My stomach turns hollow, like an anxiety that leeches into my blood and makes me want to hurl.Don’t tell him you wanna stay! Don’t you dare say anything.“I’ll text you sometimes. I’ll keep you abreast of my breasts.”

He chuckles and pulls me in until we touch from knees to chest. “You really shouldn’t send pictures like that, silly girl. You never know which bathroom walls I tape them to.”

“Aw, you have jokes, Riley?” Tears burn the backs of my eyes.Don’t cry. Don’t cry!“Took you long enough.”

He leans forward and drops a kiss on my lips. “Text me when you land. I just wanna know you’re safe.”

“Okay. I’ll land around five my time.”

“What’s that my time?”

I shrug. “Figure it out. You know what state I’m in, you know what state you’re in. Do the math, then add another hour on top, just in case.”

Smiling, he laces his fingers with mine and presses his lips to my forehead until tears squeeze past my closed eyes. “Be safe, Deedee. Look me up when you’re back over this way. You know where to find me.”

“I will.” My voice cracks. “I promise.”

“I’m gonna go. I changed my mind; I don’t wanna watch you walk away.”

“Okay.” My heart slams against my chest and makes my voice wobble. “Drive safe. Text me when you get home, so I know you made it safe. It’ll pop up as soon as I land and turn my cell back on.”

“Okay.” One more kiss on my lips, he turns and leaves me with nothing but the scent of his cologne and tears in my eyes.

Damn.

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