Next to her on the blanket, his body tensed and his eyes darkened. “What exactly is it you think we had, Taylor?”
“A romantic interlude that rebuilt my confidence in myself as a woman, in my sexuality. You gave me my post-divorce rebound sex. It was great. I’m very appreciative.”
His forehead creased. “Is that what last night was? You using me for sexual empowerment? That’s why you came in my tent?”
It wasn’t. Not really. But maybe it was better if he thought it had been since he seemed to take his knight in shining armor role a bit too seriously. She didn’t want him feeling responsible for her. She’d known exactly what she’d been doing and she’d had no expectations of him beyond that moment.
“Like I said, I’m good with what happened last night and with our saying goodbye tomorrow morning.” She was, wasn’t she? Of course she was. “Thank you.”
His jaw worked back and forth once, then, without looking her way, he said, “No, thank you. Too bad I had to restrain myself so much or I could have made your reintroduction to sex more memorable. Still, glad to be of service.”
On that note, he stood and walked away.
Taylor watched him go, wondering at the growing ache in her chest with every step he took, but patting herself on the back that she’d held herself together so Jack wouldn’t have to feel guilty.
* * *
The medical tent was hopping when Taylor arrived. She’d gone early, signed in and gotten that day’s T-shirt, and opted to walk there.
She’d needed the exercise to ease the soreness from her muscles and she’d needed the time to decompress before she started her shift with Jack.
Jack.
Sweet, wonderful Jack who felt responsible for what had happened the night before. She’d seen it in his eyes.
She’d given him an out and he’d taken it.
Because she’d been right.
All they’d ever been was a festival fling.
For that fling, she truly was thankful. Meeting Jack, being with Jack, having sex with Jack had healed so much of her lingering insecurities.
He’d made her feel desirable, worthy.
She was desirable, worthy.
She wasn’t cold. She wasn’t frigid. She wasn’t immune to men. She wasn’t dead inside.
She was passionate, hot, full of feminine fire.
She could enjoy her body, enjoy being a woman giving herself to a man.
Sex with Jack had unlocked a part of her that had been caged up during her marriage. Maybe it had always been caged up, waiting to be unleashed.
Regardless of the ache at how they’d ended, she would always be grateful to Jack for setting her passion free.
CHAPTER EIGHT
“SO, DID THE two of you hit it off?” Amy questioned Taylor over the phone.
It was late Monday afternoon and Taylor had only been home long enough to shower, unpack and take a short nap that had been cut short by another phone call. One that had made Taylor’s day.
“I asked Duffy how things were going a couple of times,” Amy continued, “but he never would give me a straight answer and neither you nor Jack, when I texted with him earlier, told me anything.”
Jack hadn’t told Amy anything that had happened.
“What did Duffy say?” she asked, her mind still wondering at Jack’s silence. They’d parted on good terms overall. He’d apologized a few dozen times about what she’d heard him tell Duffy and their goodbye had been a bit awkward. But Taylor had no regrets about their fling or their goodbye.