Page 7 of Crash with Me (Seasons of Sizzle #3)

SEVEN

HEIDI

Walter walks past me and into the room before I can finish a greeting.

I frown at his back. “Are you here to see Seth? Because he is out in the garden helping Stacey with the decorations.”

“That’s fine.” He waves me off and begins pacing the floor back and forth. “I didn’t come here to talk to him. I came here to see you.”

“You wanted to see me.” I shake my head. “Why would you?—”

“Do you find me attractive?”

If possible, my eyes would pop right out of my head and my tongue would roll out of my mouth. Like I’m a freaking cartoon character.

“I’m sorry. Did you just ask…”

“Do you find me attractive?” he repeats. “It’s a simple yes or no.”

“And it’s simply inappropriate.”

“That’s not an answer.”

“It’s the only one you’re going to get.”

He stares at me. And, it’s a little creepy. His eyes are just like Seth’s. Dark. Intense. Only there’s something I haven’t seen in his son’s. Something that keeps me from reaching out and slapping him.

There’s a haunted sadness.

“I know you aren’t really here to proposition me. I know you don’t hate your son that much.”

Now it’s his turn to gape. “Of course I don’t hate Seth. Why the hell would you think that?”

“Is it really such a jump to think there might be a little animosity between a father and son when one steals the other’s girlfriend and asks her to marry him.”

He huffs. “It wasn’t like that.”

“If that’s what you say, I’ll choose to believe you.” I hold up my hands in concession. “Then what’s really going on here?”

His shoulders slump and he drops to the bed. “I don’t know if I should be doing this?”

“Sitting in my room or… getting married?”

“The wedding. Marriage.” He takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. “I didn’t mean to hurt Seth when Kelly and I got together. I swear. But when we met, I felt something inside of me. A spark of joy I haven’t felt since… well. It’s a feeling I’ve been chasing since the kids’ mom died.”

My heart aches. Despite what he’s done to Seth, despite the fact that he was seemingly coming on to me a few minutes ago, I feel sorry for the guy.

If what I’ve heard is even half true, the man was crazy in love with his first wife. And when she died, she took a big piece of his heart with her.

I don’t blame him for trying to chase that same high. I do blame him for seeking it out in his son’s girlfriend.

“So what changed?” I ask him.

“I just… I see the way Seth looks at you. I see the way you look at him.” He shakes his head. “It’s not like that with Kelly.”

“Oh, Walter.”

“And then the game.” He scratches the back of his head and drops his hand to the side. The same way his son does when he’s working something out. “The only reason we made it to the final round is because Kelly wrote the damn questions and gave me the answers.”

“That doesn’t mean?—”

“What if this is a bad idea?” he asks. “What if I sacrificed the relationship I had with my son to be with a woman who will only leave me like the others? Because I don’t have enough to give her.”

God. This poor guy is killing me. There are times being a bartender feels like being a therapist. But I’m not equipped for this.

“I don’t have a crystal ball,” I say, swallowing hard. “I can’t tell you what the future holds. Only you can decide what is and isn’t right.”

“Do you think I’ve ruined things with Seth forever?”

“I can’t answer that either.” I give him a sympathetic look. “But your son is a good man. He isn’t vindictive. He has a big heart. If you give it time, and you give it your all, I think you might be able to build a new relationship.”

“I’d really like that.” He sighs again and stands. “Thanks for listening to me.”

“I hope it helped.”

“It did, and?—”

The door swings open. A wild-eyed Seth stands on the other side. His chest is rising up and down, as if he just ran across the hotel. His hands are balled into fists at his side.

His dark gaze darts between his father and me. “Is everything okay here?”

“Yeah,” Walter says. “It is.” He starts out the door but pauses at the threshold. He cuffs Seth’s shoulder. “You have a damn fine woman here.”

Seth blinks in surprise, but turns back to me. His eyes are full of warmth and something else. Something captivating and breathtaking. “I know.”

“Don’t let her get away.”

“I won’t.” He closes the door behind his dad and turns to me. “Seriously, is everything okay?”

“Yeah, it’s fine. He only made a little pass at me?—”

“That son-of-a?—”

“But his heart wasn’t in it.” I raise my hand to cup his cheek. “He’s a groom with cold feet. A man having second thoughts.” I stroke his light beard. “He’s a father who regrets his relationship with his son.”

“You must have had some conversation.”

“We did. And we can talk about it later. But”— I reach for his hand—“we have a wedding to attend.”

Linking my fingers with his, I turn toward the door and take a step. Seth tugs me to stop.

I turn and arch a curious brow at him. “Shouldn’t we get down there so we can find our seats?”

“We have plenty of time.” He tugs me close and slides his free hand behind my head. “I need to tell you something.”

My heart thuds. “I’m listening.”

“I know we just met. I know this was only supposed to be for the weekend.” He shakes his head. “But, Heidi. The way I feel about you… the way you make me feel…”

I reach up to clasp his arm. “I know. I feel the same.”

“Oh thank God.” He releases a breath and rests his forehead against mine. “I’m so glad it isn’t just me.”

“It definitely isn’t just you.” I lift my chin and brush my lips against his.

He kisses me back. It’s slow and deep. Sealing our spoken and unspoken feelings with a promise for more.

I’m not sure who starts undressing who first. But as we remove our layers and our lips and hands explore each other's bodies, we make our way to the bed.

This time, when we lie down, we don’t climb into separate sides. We tumble in together. Wrapped around each other. Stroking and enticing. Giving the endless sparks that have snapped between us a source at last.

Seth lowers his mouth to my already tight nipple and slides his tongue over it. I gasp, digging my fingers into the back of his head. He takes me into his mouth. Sucking. Using just the slightest hint of teeth.

It sends a fresh jolt of desire through my belly and straight between my thighs.

“I don’t think I’ll ever get enough of you,” he says, releasing my nipple to explore the other. “We could do this forever, and it would never be enough.”

A single tear slides down my cheek as I stare down at the man who has become so dear to me in so little time.

When we finally become one, when he thrusts into me, filling me to the hilt, he does more than claim my body.

He captures my heart.

I move with him. My fingers trace the muscles of his back. His lips suckle the pulse on my neck.

And when I don’t think I can hold back a second longer, a wave of pleasure bursts inside of me. Flowing through every inch of my body as I fall apart.

Shouting my name, Seth buries himself in me one more time, finding his own release.

We lay there together, connected, for several minutes. Both of us basking in the afterglow of our passion. His face buried in the crook of my neck. My cheek pressed against his thick head of hair.

When at last he lifts his head, I see all of the love in the world shining in them.

“That was…”

I nod and cup his cheek. “It was.”

Chuckling, he kisses my neck. “You always seem to know what I’m thinking.”

“Well, not always. And definitely not everything.” I rub my cheek against his hair. “But it’s kind of nice.”

“It’s very nice.” He raises his head. “Heidi, I?—”

A loud commotion sounds outside. We both bolt up and scramble to the window, not bothering to cover ourselves as we pull the curtains aside.

Down in the garden, Walter and Kelly are facing off. Hands on their hips. Faces red.

Seth pushes open the window in time to hear Kelly ask, “What do you mean you think we should postpone?”

“What do you mean you had Seth in your room?”

“Well, you were in his girlfriend’s.”

“That was different.”

“I don't see how.”

“That’s the problem with you. You never?—”

Shaking his head, Seth closes the window and I let the drape fall back into place.

We share a look, and burst into laughter. We’re both still grinning as we fall back into bed together.

Whatever is going on out there is none of our business.

Everything that really matters in life is right here.