It was all bullshit anyway. Giovanni didn’t care about her. He didn’t even like her. They were just passing time.
His hands squeezed her ass and a tear rolled down her cheek. Her breathy moans peppered the silence, punctuating the sheer force at which he entered her. The slap of flesh beat back the memories of his gentle caresses and any lingering playfulness disappeared.
When he came, he shoved into her with a grunt, then pulled out, and his weight was gone. She sank into the bed, feeling used and dirty. The toilet flushed and the faucet ran, washing away any traces of her.
This was the moment she’d typically leave, but she was stranded with nowhere to go. Another reason why this was a mistake.
Reaching for the T-shirt, she covered her body, and curled onto her side, moving as close to the edge of the mattress as she could without falling off the bed.
He returned and pulled the sheets over his body. She wasn’t sure if he put his underwear back on or remained naked. He didn’t reach for her and he didn’t speak.
The fading sun no longer peeked behind the curtains and the room was dark. It comforted her like a hiding place and gave her a much needed shield.
Despite the warmth of the sheets and the heat of her body, she shivered at the unmistakable chill in the air. It was probably better that they were honest about what just happened. No use wasting time pretending it meant more than it had.
This was good. Clear. No confusion.
So why did she feel like she was spiraling?
She welcomed his silence but desperately wanted him to say something to her. If he could just touch her or press a kiss to her shoulder and silently let her know he wasn’t mad…
Every second passed with grueling confirmation that the time for conversation and closeness had ended. She knew it would. She agreed it should. But something inside of her hated it all the same.
“I’m not good with intimacy,” she finally confessed.
Had he fallen asleep?
A full minute passed before he said, “It is what it is. Tomorrow the roads should be clear.”
Her heart pinched. There was nothing more to say.
CHAPTER 9
The muffled chirp of a cell phone ringing woke Erin and it took her a few seconds to recall she was in a motel room with Giovanni. The room was pitch black, but he had crossed the mattress and wrapped his body around hers sometime during the cold night.
Grumbling, he climbed out of bed and stumbled toward the ringing phone. “Shit.” He cursed when he banged his toe on a piece of furniture. “Hello?”
She supposed this meant the cell reception was back. She should get up and call for a tow truck before it went out again.
A booming masculine voice rattled from his phone. “G, you okay? I thought I saw a car on the side of the road with Jersey plates. Looked like yours.”
“It’s mine. The battery died last night and I had to walk all the way to the damn Motor Inn.”
“You need a jump? I’m out plowing right now, but I’ve got cables. I can come grab you if you’re up.”
“Yeah, give me five minutes to get dressed. I’ll meet you outside.” He ended the call and disappeared into the bathroom. The light flashed on, which meant the electrical issues had also been resolved.
Erin sat up as he came out of the bathroom. He sorted through his suitcase. “That was Finn. He’s out plowing and gonna give me a ride back to my car so I can jump the battery.”
Pulling the sheets protectively over her front, she sensed the chill between them had returned. Clearly, he just wanted to get laid. Mission accomplished. She had served her purpose. The roads were clearing and their time together was done.
“I can be out of here as soon as I get an Uber.”
Keeping his back toward the bed, he fisted a sweater in his hands and nodded. “Okay. Good.”
Her stomach swilled when he went back into the bathroom, shutting the door with a click that resonated with finality. She wanted to blame her nausea on the empty calories and sugar but knew better. As always, she said something wrong, acted out of order, and now he was done with her.
She was the fool who let things get out of hand. Sex wasn’t supposed to hurt. Intimacy hurt. She knew better and got exactly what she deserved.
He reappeared and flipped on a lamp. She blinked at the unwelcome brightness.
He looked handsome in his crewneck cashmere sweater and black pants. His hair was combed back and his face freshly washed. A sexy dark shadow showed along his jaw, and she hated the hard line that kept his mouth locked in place. Where had his smile gone?
The scent of his cologne tinged the air. The hollow ache in her chest bloomed as he shouldered on his coat and looked back at her.