Page 26 of Hidden Resolution

Firming her resolve, Shonda reached for the handle of her bag, then froze.

A buzz zipped along her spine, tickling her Spidey senses. Gaze scanning the parking lot, she found nothing out of the ordinary and put it down to her overactive imagination. She shook it off with a self-deprecating laugh and reached for the suitcase again.

And that’s when another sensation hit. The one that never lied. Her body’s instinctual response whenever Mason was near.That unmistakable awareness settled in her chest, and every nerve stood at attention.

Slowly, she turned.

One row over, he stood by his car, one arm braced against the doorframe, the other on the roof, his gaze locked on her like a missile sighting a target.

Their eyes collided, and her world narrowed.

His expression was pure passion-packed. Every come-hither inch of him radiated unspoken promise. And boy, did she want to come hither.

Her breath hitched.

What was she to think? For someone so hell-bent on walking away, he was throwing off seriously mixed signals. His stare alone nearly buckled her knees.

Then came the slow quirk of his mouth.

It started as a faint twitch, the suggestion of a smirk, then turned into a lazy, confident grin. The kind that made panties self-destruct and women kick caution out the bloody door, bolting it after.

The man was irresistible, and he fucking knew it.

Shonda blew out a breath, girded her loins, straightened her spine, and presented her back, steeling herself against his magnetic pull.

A car door slammed.

Her heart leapt.

She didn’t know if he was leaving or coming toward her, but the answer arrived in a wave of heat behind her. He was close. Oh, so close!

His warm breath brushed her ear, and his voice dropped to a husky whisper as he said, “I’ve changed my mind.”

Butterflies woke in her belly, her joy blooming before she could crush it.

He turned her gently and met her gaze with a slow, devastating smile. “I’m not ready to end it… yet. I’d like a few more days, if you’re willing.”

Her heart ceased its celebration. The happiness bursting to life withered. The hope she hadn’t wanted to admit to flared and fizzled in a three-second blip.

Shonda had a choice. Tell him to go pound salt, or create a few more memories for later. The aftermath would be a bitch, though. Only her brain opposed the second alternative. Her heart and body had already cast their votes.

Still, she managed a token protest. “I don’t know if it’s a good idea…”

He gently traced her lips with the pad of his thumb, spending an inordinately long time regarding his action. When he leveled his gaze on her, the raw longing in those blue eyes nearly unmade her.

“I want you, Shonda. To a degree I’ve never wanted another woman. For longer, too. Can’t we just leave it there and enjoy a few more days?”

She should say no. Hell, she knew better. But agreement fell from her lips anyway.

“Yes,” she whispered.

God, she was seriously going to regret her madness.

He leaned in, resting his forehead against hers with a quiet sigh of relief.

What the hell did his action mean? She refused to examine it too closely.

“I’ll follow you to your place,” he said, brushing a soft kiss over her mouth. “Drive carefully. The roads might be icy from the last snowfall.”