Page 29 of Thiago

“Appointment.” Thiago repeated the word she had used with distaste, as if it soiled his mouth.

India smoothed the hair at her nape. “We’ve never given what we do a name. I didn’t know what else to call it,” she said.

“I suppose calling it the night we screw would be crass,” he said.

“Crass, but accurate, don’t you agree?”

He stepped closer, but she held her ground.

“You’re different.” The words sounded like an accusation.

“I’m busy.”

“You’ve never been this damn busy.”

“It’s very simple, Thiago. Things change, and we learn to adjust,” India said lightly, longing to end the conversation.

“Are you seeing someone else?”

India hesitated then lifted her chin higher. “Yes.”

His eyes flashed with emotion. He definitely didn’t like that bit of information.

“If there’s nothing else…”

“There is nothing else—for now,” Thiago said ominously.

She opened her mouth to demand to know what he meant, but the elevator pinged and the doors opened. The receptionist and one of the admins exited the cabin.

“Good afternoon,” they said in unison.

India smiled in acknowledgment as they walked past, the admin going down the hall and the receptionist stepping behind the huge desk.

Thiago kept his gaze on India, and the air vibrated with tension. Then, as cool as you please, he turned and walked away.

She released the breath she had been holding. The receptionist was making a big show of working, which looked more like she was simply moving around items on her desk to avoid looking at India and Thiago.

India took off in the opposite direction of Thiago, relieved he now knew she was seeing other people. When all of this started several weeks ago, she hadn’t intended to pull back from him. She had simply wanted to explore her options, but a little distance might be good.

Self-preserving. Heart-protecting.

Because she’d had plenty of time to think and acknowledged she was dangerously close to falling for Thiago. She wanted to see him on Friday nights and every night, which was a problem. She had spent all this time with a man she had no future with—a situation she hadn’t squarely faced until she thought she was literally going to die.

She needed to wean herself off her need for him and squash the feelings threatening to overrule her common sense. Dating other men was the perfect mechanism by which to accomplish her goal.

Now she had to convince her heart she was making the right decision.

Chapter Thirteen

Thiago pounded his fist on India’s door. He had never shown up at her apartment unannounced before and wasn’t certain she was home, much less if she would let him in. But they needed to talk.

He glared up at the camera above her door. “Let me in,” he said.

He kept his eyes locked on the lens and waited.

Moments later, the door swung open from the inside, and his eyebrows shot higher when he saw India’s appearance. She wore light sweats and a T-shirt, and on her face was some type of green goop.

“What is that on your face?” Thiago asked.