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"Alex, we’ll be right back," he said quickly

In a blur, we left the table and found some privacy at the other side of the restaurant The darkness wrapped around us His body cas I waited for hi to break

Gently, he brought his hands up and fraain He tiltedus eye to eye Those eyes that undidI had come to love about the man--stared down at me

I love you I wanted to tell hiain until he said it back

"Blake"

"Are you okay?"

He thumbed my cheek More contact, every touch overwhelan to fall now My hands went to his chest, wanting to feel his heat, his strength

"I can’t do this, Blake Not right now I’m sorry I just can’t"

He hushed me and brushed away the tears "I can take care of it, okay?"

"No, I can’tanything up It’s fine I’ll talk to Alex Go up and rest" He grippedthere only a moment before he left Before I could call hiain

I walked quickly to the elevators, my head down to hide theWhat the hell rong with me?

Back upstairs, I scanned the empty room Empty, like my hollow, painful heart I wanted Blake here I hated that he wasn’t, but I was in no condition to face Alex and talk business right now Ironic, since that was the entire purpose for the trip

Without undressing, I fell back into the unmade bed I’d woken without his touch and here I was, barely surviving without it I began to drift off, ready for ho that somehow I could wake up and start all over

I took a seat at the head of the conference table and waited for the rest of the tea away most of the afternoon in the hotel room and on the red-eye ho had lifted Enough that when Blake eventually briefedwith Alex, my brain reluctantly shifted back into business ood, better than I would have pushed for or even asked for I wanted to be surprised, but with Blake behind the wheel, I shouldn’t have expected anything less All I needed to do was seize the opportunity while it was there and act noe could stay ahead

"Hoas San Francisco?"