Page 109 of Between Hello and Goodbye

Because when things get hard, I revert to my old tricks…

The guy shook his head. “I wasn’t talking about last night. I’m Jack Phillips. We met almost a year ago under similar circumstances.” He offered a teasing grin. “I can see how it’d be confusing.”

“Jack…” I stared, memories rushing in—blurry and booze-soaked. “Oh my God. Yes, you and I…”

“Slept together,” he said. “I wanted to call you again after, but you sort of vanished.”

“We slept together,” I murmured, my eyes falling shut.

Asher…

“A year ago,” Jack clarified. “Last night…not so much.”

My head shot up. “We didn’t?”

“Nope. You cried on my shoulder for half the night, telling me over and over how you’re in love with some firefighter, and then you passed out.” He smiled dryly. “It was a super fun time for me.”

I pushed myself to sitting, keeping the sheets tight around me. “Wait, wait, hold on. I said I…?”

“Loved him, yes.In lovewith him. You were quite emphatic on that point.”

“And you and I did not sleep together.”

“We did not.”

“Then why am I in my underwear?”

“I took off your dress to make you more comfortable,” Jack said. “That’s all, I promise.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Where did you sleep?”

“Couched it.”

“Did we do…other things?”

He grinned, clearly enjoying himself. “Like what?”

“Did we kiss?”

Please say no…

He shook his head. “No kissing. Not for lack of trying. I leaned over to kiss you in the car and that’s when you burst into tears.”

“And that’s when I said…what I said.”

Jack nodded. “You were a little bit of a mess. I didn’t know what else to do so I told my driver to bring us here. I made you tea—”

“You made metea?”

He smiled. “Seemed like the thing to do. But you mostly just wanted to talk abouthim.”

“And you and I didn’t do anything at all.”

“Not so much as a suggestive handshake.”

I relaxed and eased a shaky sigh. “You’re a true gentleman, Jack. I’m so sorry I put you in that position.”

“It’s all right.” He cocked his head. “Who’s the firefighter? Boyfriend?”