One to Keep (One to Hold 2)

Fuck. I did not want any of that coming into my space with Elaine. I put the glass down and stepped to the bar, picking up my phone and quickly texting back. All good. Will catch up ASAP.

“Sorry,” I said, putting the phone back down and reaching for her. But I could tell she was still thinking about it. “It’s stupid bullshit at work. I’m handling it.”

“Fatal Attraction?” her brow arched. “Wasn’t that about an office affair gone psycho?”

She had a right to be worried. I’d been a dick, and I was so lucky I’d met this amazing woman who saved me from myself.

“I called it that, but I was exaggerating. It was just this temp we had weeks ago. She’s gone now.”

“A temp?” Her expression caused the tension to burn in my stomach again. Elaine was so important to me. She was still standing in my arms, and I tightened my hold on her waist.

“I was an idiot,” I said. “Then I met you.”

I wasn’t sure if she would even understand the enormous change those eight words conveyed, but I didn’t know how else to put it. My phone buzzed again, and both our eyes went to it. Kenny.

You were supposed to check in. Asshole.

My lips tightened. I wasn’t sure what to say, but everything changed when Elaine snorted a laugh. “You should at least tell him you’re okay.”

Relief washed over me, and I pulled her close, resting my forehead on hers. “I’d rather be okay with you,” I said, kissing her lightly.

Her arms wrapped around my neck and she kissed me back. “Didn’t you just promise to buy me breakfast?”

“I don’t know if it was a promise. And this little dress you’ve got on is seriously pitching my tent.”

She laughed and kissed me harder. Her response was not cooling my erection, but she let go, skipping back and going to her room. “Then I’d better change because I’m hungry.”

Shaking my head, I picked up my phone and quickly typed back. My bad. Sorry. Will explain soon.

Returning the phone to the bar, I went to the bedroom. Elaine was already sliding faded jeans over her slim hips. Was it possible that everything this woman did turned me on?

“I need to stop at a drugstore,” I said, picking up my shirt and buttoning it. “I didn’t bring anything with me.”

She turned, now wearing a long-sleeved navy tee with her jeans, and I watched as she shoved her feet into a pair of hot pink Chucks. “We’ll take care of it. First, breakfast!”

I couldn’t stop smiling as she caught my hand, pulling me to the door.

* * *

The weekend was too short. Sitting at my desk in Princeton Monday morning, all I could do was gaze out the window, imagining myself in the car, flying to meet her again.

We’d spent the entire weekend either making love, chatting, eating, or sleeping. We’d told each other everything. I knew all about Brian The Idiot. The complete moron she’d dated five years who was so clueless he’d never proposed. Of course, I wasn’t complaining. And I’d told her about Stacy.

Looking back on those relationships in view of what we shared, it was hard to believe they had ever seemed so important. What was more believable was how easily they ended. Nothing could last that didn’t feel like this.

“I suppose it’s chemistry?” Elaine’s fingers had traced a delicate line along my cheek, down my jaw. I’d held her body tight under mine on the soft bed. It was my all-time favorite way to hold her.

Leaning down to kiss her chin, I answered. “Some people are just meant to be.” I kissed her again, tasting her sweet mouth. “I’ve never felt this way about anyone in my life.”

Her lips curled into a smile as she wrapped those lovely arms around my neck. “That’s always nice to hear.”

Kisses led to more lovemaking, and when it was time for me to go, it hurt like hell. But it wasn’t devastating. The separation sucked, but everything was right now. I was back at work, smiling in anticipation of seeing her again, and I could actually concentrate on cracking the two cases in front of me while I passed the time.

Turning back to my computer, I began the process—scrolling through face after face, looking for Star’s. I’d spend an hour on this, and if I didn’t find her, I’d switch back to the phishing case for a while. Then I’d return to finding the needle in the haystack.

A cry from the kitchen broke my concentration. “Gross!” It was Nikki, and I was just about to tune her out when her words registered in my brain. “Who put plates and glasses in the dishwasher and didn’t run it? This looks a month old!”

My brow creased. I didn’t even know we had a dishwasher, and I was out of my chair in an instant. Derek wouldn’t have done it—there was only one other possibility between Nikki leaving and coming back…