Van came back, informing me she had found someone to cover my shift for the day. Partially dry and with warm tea in my belly, she sent me home to change and get warm. It dawned on me then how supportive she truly was. She treated me like family. I’d never had that in my life before. Sure, I had friends back in New Haven. They were the ones I socialized with, hung out at the country club with, shopped with, but I couldn’t turn my back on any of them. Ever. They’d be quick to stab me in it, their polite smiles never leaving their faces as they did.
No wonder Stephen had left me. I didn’t belong with that crowd. I had always been different. A little too nice. A little too trusting. And you know what? That’s okay. It made me better than them.
I had been taking Van’s friendship for granted. Well, no more. I’d find a way to repay her for everything she had done for me. Maybe once everything calmed down around here, we could do a road trip. A witch and a pixie on the road together. Now that would be a sight to see.
I got home and took a quick shower, examining my shoulder as I did. It was red and puffy, blood oozing around the edges from the hot water running on it. I bandaged it as best as I could. I definitely needed to see someone about it, even if it was only Jensen. I hoped those nasty red birds couldn’t give you rabies. With my luck, it would be some magical kind and turn me into a zombie.
Dressing quickly, I threw on my cutest long sleeved shirt. It was too warm for it, but I didn’t want the world thinking I was a walking wounded. Even if I was.
I cringed at the thought of Ryan seeing it. There would be too many questions I couldn’t answer. Not if I wanted to keep things secret. I’d have to tell him the truth, or give up my love life for a while. Talk about a rock and a hard place.
I finished getting ready, putting everything else out of my mind. My boyfriend was back in town. I was going to spend the evening like a normal person. I was going to laugh, eat, cuddle, and above all else, I was going to relax. Ryan might be a movie star, but he was the one ordinary thing in my life. And that’s what I needed. Something real. Something that didn’t seem to come from some nightmare reality. I just needed some peace.
By the time I actually made it back to the hotel, evening was in full swing. I hoped Ryan hadn’t given up on me. A girl needed time to pull herself back together after all. I hurried through the lobby, hoping no one would see me. I wasn’t even sure if Van would still be there, but I didn’t want to risk it. She would want to talk. She’d want to know if I had Jensen look at my shoulder. I didn’t want to do any of that. I only wanted to see Ryan.
I felt as if I was almost running by the time I reached his suite door. Everything would be fine once I was in his arms. I could let the events of late wash away. For a few blissful hours, I could be regular old Maxie Duncan.
Before I could even raise my hand to knock, the door opened wide and Ryan was standing there, smiling that gorgeous smile at me. “I thought I heard someone out here,” he said. And just like that, I was in his arms.
He pulled me inside, shutting the door firmly behind us. “I missed you,” he said, staring down at me with so much intensity.
“I missed you, too.” It was the honest-to-goodness truth. The last few days would have gone a lot differently if he had been there. I never wanted him to leave my side again.
He leaned down, his lips inches from my ear. My breath caught at the close proximity of his mouth. I longed to be this close to him, closer still if I could get it, yet something about him made me freeze like a deer sensing a wolf. It must be some long forgotten instinct left over from days gone by, when a male would take his mate by force. Taking a deep breath, I forced those morbid thoughts away. He was my boyfriend, not some caveman. He was gentle and kind, and I had missed the feel of his skin against mine.
Ryan moved closer as if sensing my thoughts. “So how are we going to make up all this time spent apart?” he whispered in my ear.
Before I could get a word out, my body answered for me. I pulled him close, our lips firmly connected. He didn’t miss a beat as his arms went around me, pulling me closer.
I moaned into him, enjoying the feel of his hands on my body. A thought popped up in my mind. Why was I not going to sleep with him tonight? Oh, yeah. That’s right. My shoulder. Oh, well. Some things were just too important. I would just have to come up with an excuse after we were done.
Twenty Seven
Bell, Book, and Sandals Page 32
