LITMIR.BIZ

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everything about Will—his abandon, his tenderness, the frankness with which he regarded her.

      When he got up, she wanted to call him back. A minute later, he returned, and she realized he’d gone for more protection.

      “Now let’s do this the right way,” he said.

      Leah hadn’t imagined her body capable of responding again so quickly. Will proved her wrong. This time, he tantalized her until she begged for more and then he filled her. They rocked together, completely in tune.

      It was much more than she’d fantasized. More than she’d believed possible.

      The intensity built gradually, floating them onto a higher plane. Leah could have stayed there forever, or so she thought, until without warning she soared even higher as rapture seized them both.

      The embers lingered long after the flames faded. They’d been meant for this, she thought as she curled blissfully against Will.

      And he felt the same way. “That was wonderful.” He spoke as if he could hardly trust his own perception.

      “Wonderful,” she repeated, and drifted into sleep.

      WHEN LEAH AWOKE in the morning, he was gone. She thought he might be taking a shower, but she found the bathroom empty.

      Wrapped in her robe, she pushed aside the front curtains and peered across the lot. The space where Will had parked sat empty.

      Perhaps he’d gone to work, although it was Saturday. She searched all over the room for a note. Nothing.

      Stunned, Leah sank onto the edge of the bed, trying to make sense of what had happened. Surely, she hadn’t mistaken the depth of passion between them. That hadn’t been merely a one-night stand. It had meant something.

      To her, anyway.

      It dawned on her that she had no idea how Will actually felt. He might do this kind of thing all the time. He’d known exactly the right words to lead her along and, as he’d said, he’d been prepared.

      Oh, come on, she argued silently. You’re jumping to conclusions.

      Feeling uneasy, Leah went to shower. Maybe Will expected to run into her tonight at the same bar. But if so, why hadn’t he made arrangements?

      Probably because he wasn’t going to be there.

      With a rush of shame, she registered that she’d invented a relationship that existed only in her mind. She’d given something special, and by leaving without a word, the man had thrown it in her face.

      He hadn’t lied—at least, as far as she knew. But she had. She’d lied to herself, Leah scolded as she scrubbed every inch of her skin. She’d thought it would be fine if she never heard from him again. Now, too late, she saw the truth.

      She was a rube who believed in fairy tales. Last night, she’d tasted paradise—a fool’s paradise. She’d expected happily-ever-after from a man who never wanted to see her again.

      Leah wrapped her arms around her chest and held on tight, trying to subdue the pain. She couldn’t comprehend why he’d left that way, when they’d shared so much, but it hurt.

      She should have known better. Should have listened to her better judgment, should have realized what an easy target she’d been. Will had played her every step of the way, and she couldn’t even blame him. This disappointment was her own fault.

      Thank goodness for the water splashing over her. It washed away the tears, though not the sense of loss. Because at last—not the first time she’d made love, back in college, but only now—she had lost her innocence.

      LEAH GAVE THE ROOM a final inspection to ensure she’d left nothing behind, other than her pride and her delusions. Except for the rumpled sheets and the maid’s tip on the nightstand, no trace remained of her visit.

      She probably wouldn’t take a job in Austin even if one were offered. Too many bad associations. She never wanted to risk running into that louse again.

      There was still Seattle, though, where she planned to stay with a college friend who ran a day care center. Thinking about the future, Leah squared her shoulders. She didn’t intend to quit seeking adventure just because her first one had turned out miserably.

      From now on, however, the journey wasn’t going to involve men. Or acting stupid. Thank goodness no one but her would ever know about this.

      Remembering the clerk’s instructions about checkout, Leah set her key on the nightstand before fetching her suitcase, carry-on bag and purse. With everything safely outside, she shut the door and heard the lock click.

      In the room, the phone rang.

      She glared at the door. Great timing. But her friends and relatives all had her cell number. The only one who might call would be the clerk to remind her of the deadline for departure.

      It certainly wouldn’t be Will. She refused to delude herself. In any case, she had no way to get in.

      The phone rang three more times and stopped. By then, Leah had finished loading her car.

      She drove away with a sense of relief at putting the whole incident behind her.

      Chapter Two

      Will snapped his cell phone shut. He felt relieved that she hadn’t answered, because he didn’t know what he could have offered. An apology, at best.

      His edginess had started building earlier in the week, when his ex-wife had accused him in an e-mail of being a rigid workaholic. Then yesterday, when he drove the twins to his parents’ ranch for a visit, emotions had rushed back from a boyhood spent feeling like the odd man out among his three rough-hewn brothers.

      When he’d returned to Austin, Will had been seized by a restless longing for something he couldn’t name. Leah had showed him what it was. Flirting with her in the bar had made him feel like a man again, and the sex had been mind-blowing.

      But he’d taken stupid risks. Forgetting the condom at first, for one thing. Getting involved with a transient, for another. A woman living in a motel was likely to be desperately seeking someone to latch on to. And Will had no illusions about what a superficially attractive package he offered, if she’d gotten close enough to see the MD decal on his car.

      Two other doctors came into the lounge. In no mood for chitchat, he turned away to pour a cup of coffee from the decanter. He would require more than a few cups this morning to make up for the lack of sleep.

      The delivery room had paged him at 3:00 a.m. He’d been grateful the beeper hadn’t woken Leah.

      After dressing, he’d stood by the bed, admiring the way her dark hair spilled across the pillow. Remembering the glow in her blue eyes, Will had been tempted to rouse her and explain why he had to leave. With uncharacteristic impulsiveness, he’d considered confessing who he was and giving her his phone number.

      Then what? He remembered all too well the experience of a colleague who’d had an ill-considered affair with a waitress. Of course, the man had been cheating on his wife, so he’d had even more to lose, but the subsequent stalking and suicide threats had lasted over a year, and the whole incident had wrecked his marriage.

      Leah hadn’t seemed unstable. If Will had met her under other circumstances, he would have considered her delightfully sweet. But innocent women didn’t go around picking up men in bars. She had to be playing some game.

      He’d already made the mistake of marrying the wrong woman. Allison hadn’t been a nutcase, but in his book, she came close. No matter how frustrated a woman might be, that didn’t justify dumping her husband and children for a rich playboy. The husband, maybe, but definitely not the kids.

      A smile touched Will’s face at the thought of his six-year-olds, outgoing Diane and reserved India. They deserved a dad who shared his spare evenings with them, not a strange woman. And one who cut back his schedule so he could enjoy

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