Page 29 of Back for More

“Because you fucking left town without saying good-bye, and I hated you for it.”

“I hated me for it too.” Her hands frantically roam all over my upper body like we’ve got seven minutes in heaven and our time is almost up. And it is. One more second, and we’re both going straight to hell.

“You need to leave.” I give her one last quick, hard kiss before letting her down. I inhale the scent of her neck one last time. “Now.”

She bites her lower lip, her chest heaving, skin flushed, thighs squeezing together. “Goddammit,” she says under her breath, hands on her hips and leaning forward like she’s just finished a marathon.

Only it’s just begun. “Yeah,” I say. “Goddammit.” I walk over to the banister and grab on to it. I can’t think straight, and I can’t stand up straight. “Thanks for stopping by.”

She laughs.

I would too, if I could.

She pulls the elastic band from her hair and shakes it out, sending a waft of her shampoo over my way. “I just wanted to say…”

I sigh heavily, shaking my head. “Yes?”

She takes a step toward the door. “I had my reasons for leaving. Alecia knows that. She’s my best friend. She understands. I want to make sure you know that too.”

“I know.”

“But you’re mad at me anyway.”

“I never said I was mad at you.”

Her mouth slowly curls into a smirk as she rolls her eyes. “Right. Okay, then. I’ll be back to see Fanny again soon.” She waves her hand in the air as she finally walks out. “See you at the office, boss!”

“Lily!” I call out before she shuts the door. When she glances back over her shoulder, I say, “We really can’t do that again. I mean it.”

“No shit,” she mutters. “We won’t.”

And then she’s gone.

But not really.

She’s never really gone.