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"Sure," Lacey finally looks up and gives me a breezy smile "Why wouldn’t it be? I’m all packed, so, ready when you are"

Rejection hits ht was a one-tiivearound the roos "I’ll be downstairs"

Lacey grabs her case andmakes me stop her I reach out and take hold of her arm as she passes "Wait"

Lacey freezes, and our eyes catch I pause Her skin is soft under my touch, and I can feel the warmth of her body, smell that drift of scented shaht to think straight "About last night …" I pause, aard Just a few hours ago, all my inhibitions were unbound with this wo in the world Now, in the cold y between us; Lacey’s gaze is guarded and detached, and I don’t knohat the hell put that expression on her face

"It’s nothing" Lacey cutselse "Just two old friends, blowing off soht?" She flashes me another smile, but this one doesn’t seem to reach her eyes "It was fun, but, co I h, like it’s the craziest thing she’s ever heard

I opencoht, isn’t she? That’s what I was thinking all last night, howlike the wo up with, my ideal mate Lacey is loud and spontaneous and inappropriate; she would drivefor real

That was before you knew the real her; before you discovered what it felt like to hold her in your ar there, like she’s waiting for a response "Right!" I blurt, loudly "Sure, one night Uh, thanks!"

Lacey narrows her eyes "You’re welcome" she mutters, "Oh, and Daniel? Merry Christmas"

Before I can wonder what the hell just happened here, she leaves, slarab my stuff and pack, but the whole time, I feel a sharp stab of frustration in my chest I can’t believe Lacey acted so breezy, like I was just another one of her casual flings, like last night didn’t rily shovingwe said makes sense, I reether, and noe’re just going to be ot slapped in the face?

I push the voice aside and take a final look around the rooht never happened, that’s just fine with ether by force beyond our control I just need to get her to Beachwood Bay, then get on with my life like I planned

No ames

Simple

Weout the aard tension between us in the car Daniel keeps his eyes fixed on the road, like I’m not even here, and any time I try and make small-talk to break the mood, he reminds me that the roads are still icy from the frost

"You don’t want us to wind up in a ditch, do you?" he asks, when I ask a simple question about his job, and how he likes New York

"No," I sigh, turning away I press rays and white speed by, trapped inches away fro this, to feel so shaken and off balance I toldup to find Daniel gone thiswas one of the worsta o so far, but I couldn’t help it A sether was as epic and a for him as it was for me; that he’d never want it to end I woke up still enveloped in the feeling of his ar as one, our very souls connected--and then I rolled over and reached for him, and found empty sheets instead

I’ve never felt so stupid

Of course he didn’t irlfriendhe wants in a woman Thank God that by the tiether If he wants to act like it was just a one-ti, then I can do that Easy, breezy, no problem After all, Lacey Andrews is the queen of casual hook-ups, I can play this inlike you don’t care

I s back the ache and keepoutside the s It shouldn’t hurt so ht with Daniel was the first time I’ve ever connected with someone like that: baredto stay distanced or detached I showed hi, and now, it kills me to see hiood reason to knoe’d never be together I could tell myself it wouldn’t work, anyway, that ouldn’t have any chemistry or spark