He headed down in his boxer briefs, the dogs trailing behind. She wasn’t in the kitchen, and when he looked out front, his stomach sank. Her Jeep was gone.
Had she left already and not said goodbye?
“There’s only one rule,” she’d said. “This is just for tonight.”
That had been the agreement, and he’d already reminded himself a half dozen times since their unfinished game of strip poker that he wasn’t in a position to start a relationship, but it still felt like a punch to the gut. He really liked her, and he would have at least liked to say goodbye.
Maybe it was better this way. Somewhere around four in the morning, he’d wondered how he’d find the fortitude to leave her. Looked like she’d done it for both of them.
He went back upstairs and got dressed, then found a notepad and pen in her kitchen.
Maisie,
Confession: I really suck at this one-night stand thing. It seems crass to tell you last night was incredible, even if it was. I hate not being able to tell you goodbye, but I understand. I hope things aren’t awkward between us, and maybe we can be friends.
“Really, Jack?” he said out loud. “You seriously just used the let’s be friends line?”
Einstein released a low growl.
“I know, buddy. I’m a fricking idiot.”
What he really wanted to say was, Maisie, you’re the most amazing woman I’ve ever met. I want more than just one night, and I think you do too. Because sometime in the night she’d cuddled close to him, placing a hand on his chest like she wanted to feel his heartbeat. But it didn’t matter, did it? He couldn’t start anything. Not now. And the only rule she’d set was that their entanglement couldn’t go on past a single night. He needed to suck it up and accept her terms.
Right?
But then something took hold of him, and before he could stop himself, he wrote:
But I don’t want to just be friends. I want more. Much more. My life is a shitstorm right now, but you’re the kind of woman who comes along once in a lifetime, and I don’t want to lose the opportunity to see where this might go. If you can be patient with me, we’ll find a way to make this work.
Still, this is about you too. You only wanted one night, and I agreed to that. It’s not your problem that I suddenly want more. So if you want more too, let me know. But if you don’t, we’ll pretend like this never happened.
This is your choice, Maisie, even if I want you to say yes more than I’ve wanted anything in a long time.
Jack
He read the note, analyzing all the ways she could poke fun at it. Still, he wasn’t sorry for laying his heart on the line.
Chaco jumped up on his legs and released a little whine. He squatted down and rubbed the little dog’s head, but Einstein, who’d been right next to her, backed up, cowering, and eyed his hand like Jack might hit him instead of doling out pets. “I’d never hurt you, buddy,” he said softly. “Hopefully, this isn’t goodbye. If your mom lets me, I’ll bring you treats next time, okay?”
Chaco looked up at him with adoring eyes, but Einstein still eyed him distrustfully. “I like you too, girl. And I’ll find a way to win you over, Ein. If you and your mom just give me a chance.”
Then he stood and walked out the door. He might be leaving a piece of himself at Maisie’s, but he couldn’t dwell on that at the moment. Now he had to find the fortitude to face his sister.
Chapter Five
You weren’t supposed to sneak out on a one-night stand if it was your own house. That was how you got burgled, or went home to find all the flour bags had been emptied onto the counter and the guy had finger-written expletives in it. Not that either of those things had happened to her, but her little sister, Molly, worked for a dating blog in Seattle, and she had stories.
Of course, Maisie knew Jack wouldn’t do any of those things. It was far more likely she’d come home to find he’d cooked her breakfast.
The thought of coming home to find him in her kitchen, hopefully nothing on him but an apron, cooking pancakes or fake bacon, lit a little flame of hope inside her. That stupid flame was the reason she’d left like that, without leaving a note. Which was, objectively speaking, a shitty thing to do. She’d needed to leave—someone had found a two-month-old puppy locked in an empty apartment, and it had needed a foster home stat—but she could have woken him up. Or done something.
The reason she hadn’t was because she was afraid—an emotion she reserved solely for her romantic life, it seemed.
Last night, she hadn’t thought much beyond scratching an itch. Having some fun. Making the kind of memories that would get her hot and bothered the next time she needed a little self-pleasure. But it had backfired on her, and she couldn’t stop thinking about Jack. And she wasn’t just thinking about his head between her thighs, or the way those amazing arms of his had pinned her to the wall for their third round. No, she was hung up on his smile. On the way he’d cradled Chaco to his chest, humming softly, when they brought the dogs inside. How he’d announced, “Your sex banishment is over, kids!” and made her laugh so hard she actually snorted.
She wouldn’t mind having him around some more. In her mind, she could practically see Molly rolling her eyes at her. “It’s okay to admit you like someone, Maisie. The world won’t end.” Mary would pipe in, “If she hasn’t told River after ten years, she’s not gonna tell this guy after one night.”
You said just one night. No takebacks.
Except it was a woman’s prerogative to change her mind, wasn’t it? And sure, Jack was Georgie and Adalia’s brother, but maybe that didn’t matter. She’d be seeing Georgie anyway if she intended to continue her friendship with River. And continuing their friendship would be so much easier if she was seeing someone else.
So maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if Jack hadn’t taken the hint and left.
He won’t still be there, she told herself. He’s a sexy, confident man. The last thing he’s going to do is stick around where he doesn’t think he’s wanted.
When she neared the house, she saw there was a car in the drive, and for a second her heart lifted. It was the same color as Jack’s car, but as she got nearer, she realized it was River’s car.
He stood on the porch waiting for her, wearing a thermal just like the one Jack had worn last night, plus a pair of old jeans. Acting for all the world like it was normal for him to just show up. Which it had been. For years. Back in high school, they’d spent half their time out in what was now the dogs’ clubhouse. Most of it had been spent studying, with Maisie tutoring River to help him catch up. His mother’s free-range parenting had extended to education, and River’s reading had been two grade levels behind, something that had filled him with shame. Although Maisie had quickly made it known she would eviscerate anyone who thought they could call him stupid and get away with it, she hadn’t wanted him to believe it. But it hadn’t just been studying. They weren’t angels. They’d smoked the occasional joint in the trees beyond the clubhouse, hiding from Mary as much as they were from her parents. Snuck beers from Beau’s stash.
But things had changed after high school. Her parents had died, and River had gone off the rails, hopping from job to job, mistake to mistake, and the only thing holding them together had been each other. Once, when they were twenty-one and a little tipsy off of Beau’s beer, sitting in the clubhouse so their carousing wouldn’t wake Molly, River had leaned in to kiss Maisie. She’d pulled back. Told him that she’d rather be his friend than one of his many ex-girlfriends.