I awoke suddenly, morning lying heavily on my tongue as I looked around me, trying to get my bearings. Images danced before my eyes. The dream that had startled me awake still clung to the edges of my mind. Men shouting. Faces which could only be from a monster movie. A broken down Ferris wheel. Me. Alone, lost, and scared to death.
I sat up in bed, shoving the images away, back to the place where forgotten dreams go. I needed to focus on more important things. Like, where was I?
I shifted in bed, the black silk sheets tickling against my bare legs. I glanced down at the over-sized tee-shirt I was wearing and it all came back to me.
I had slept with Ryan Everheart.
I was in Ryan’s suite, and from the sunlight filtering in through the curtains, I would say it was morning. I pushed back the sheets and made my way to the bathroom on wobbly legs.
After nature’s business was done, I checked my presentabilty in the mirror, fearing the worst. After a few hand rakes through my hair, I figured I was good enough to go find the man of my dreams.
Slowly, I made my way out of the bedroom, teetering slightly as I realized I still didn’t quite have my land legs back yet. I felt as weak as a kitten, but kept moving. I had never felt this way the morning after any of Stephen and my encounters. Ryan must be that good if he left me this drained.
Even in my exhausted state, I would gladly be up for another round. “Ryan,” I called; a smile on my lips at the thought of crawling back into bed with him. “Where are you?”
I waited for the reply, but only silence greeted me. I made my way towards the kitchen, the smell of fresh coffee becoming stronger as I went. The kitchen was empty. Oh, well. Coffee was a strong second on the list of things I desired right then. Grabbing the waiting mug off the counter, I filled it, sighing softly as I took a sip.
The hot bitterness of the coffee lessened the heaviness in my mouth, warming me from the inside out on its way down. Feeling a little more alive, I looked around me, wondering where my bedmate had wandered off.
A knot began to form in the pit of my stomach as the caffeine spike cleared my mind. It was never a good thing to find the guy you just slept with gone. Was I so disappointing he couldn’t even look me in the eye? Or, was this something he did wherever he went? Sleep with a girl and leave her in a hotel somewhere, never to hear from him again? Had I been just another notch on Ryan’s metaphorical bedpost?
I sat my mug down with such intensity, I flinched. No. I refused to believe that. Ryan was different. I saw it in his eyes when he looked at me. He cared about me. He wasn’t leading me on. I know things, and I knew that Ryan had meant every word he whispered to me that night.
Standing in the middle of the suite’s kitchen alone and frustrated, I longed for proof my heart was right. I had to silence the nagging in my head. The nagging that said maybe this had all been for nothing. I turned around; wishing for validation, willing myself to see what I knew had to be there somewhere.
A slight breeze stirred through the air around me, so faint I could barely even believe that it was more than my imagination. A paper rattled on the far counter, and for a moment, I wondered if the breeze had been real.
A headache began to bloom behind my eyes and I grabbed my coffee, convinced I needed more caffeine in my system. Venturing over to the paper, I glanced down at it, curiosity getting the best of me. A smile crept over me as I read the words scrawled for me.
Maxie,
Zand wanted to meet this morning to go over last minute things before we begin shooting. I couldn’t get out of it, even though I desperately wanted to. Last night was fantastic. You, my dear, were amazing. I look forward to many, many more nights just like that. I hope you do, too. I’ll call you when I get a chance.
Ryan.
Bell, Book, and Sandals Page 24