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Chapter 9
Santiago slammedthe door behind him, and a couple items on the nightstand fell to the floor. Tiffany sniffed, trying hard to keep her hot tears from running down her face. Oh, what a stupid illusion to believe they would get along in some meaningful way.
They didn’t even have a present—it had all been a fabrication from her twisted mind. She’d told him she loved him like a stupid idiot. He hadn’t said anything back. They screwed like rabbits which had been nice but he never really told her they’d be in it for the long haul.
Reaching for her cell phone, she called Liam, the cab driver who’d driven her from the airport, and asked him to come pick her up as soon as possible. Why prolong awkwardness?
“The roads aren’t clear yet, but I have someone in the area. Give me an hour.”
It would be the longest hour of her life.
She headed to the bathroom, and splashed cold water on her face. She had tried to have a connection with Santiago, even if he never promised her a steady relationship. But even a harmless fling couldn’t survive the emotional baggage they carried.
A burden should have been lifted from her shoulders. She’d told him the truth, at last. Instead, guilt stabbed at her like a sharp dagger. She had promised to keep the secret from him, as a way to honor her friend. Patricia had died and she lived.
But Tiffany didn’t deserve a happy ending.
Her parents didn’t have a happy ending. Her best friend didn't either. Why fight fate? She should be used to it by now.
When she opened the door, she grabbed Louise. As soon as she managed to find some decent Internet, she’d post a picture of Louise on the neighborhood site, in case someone wanted her back. Her heart clenched. She hoped not. But damn it, she had to do the right thing, and she wouldn’t leave the cat behind.
Glancing from side to side, she sighed. No sign of Santiago. He was in the office, door closed, talking on the phone. Well, it was better this way.
With the path clear, she decided she’d wait outside. So what if it was still super cold, even though the sun was shining? Indoors would be an emotional frigid zone anyway.
Clenching the kitty, she opened the door. A chilly breeze swirled around her. Well, not as bad as the day before.
She placed her rolling suitcase in front of the cottage, and sat on it. When the driver parked on the graveled path, her heart squeezed. This is really happening. Good-bye forever.
“Tiffany! Tiffany!”
She looked over her shoulder, and Santiago strode in her direction. He limped a bit, and she wondered if it was because he walked so fast in the snow, or because his hip still bothered him.
“Good-bye, Santiago. I’m not good at leaving notes,” she said. “I was gonna text you after I left.”
Within seconds, he towered over her, watching her intently. “You’re not leaving.”
She put the kitty on the ground, while her other hand squeezed the suitcase handle. “Or what?” Am I going to get spanked? The joke tingled at the tip of her tongue, but she knew better. Biting the inside of her cheek, she stretched to her full height.
“Miss, may I get your luggage?” the driver asked, approaching her.
“No,” Santiago said, stepping forward. He reached for his wallet and grabbed a few bills from it.
“Wait. You don’t make that decision for me,” she said, still confused. Why did he run after her? “I said I was leaving and you slammed the door on me.”
“I didn’t think you’d actually find transportation so soon.” He racked his fingers through his hair. “I needed to think for a moment, and when I’m with you all I want to do is touch you. And I need… I need to say these things.”
She gazed at him, his eyes gleaming with eagerness. A warm tremor went through her, and she didn’t know if that was good or bad. “Well, too bad for you, because I’m out.”
Santiago flashed a nervous smile, and removed his coat. “I’ll do anything for you to stay. Anything.”
The air blew freaking cold, and Santiago tossed his coat on the ground, then pulled his sweater over his head. A part of her softened without her consent. “What are you doing?”
He reached for his belt. “I want you to see me without my prosthetic leg. I want you to see all of me.”
She let go of the suitcase, her shoulders relaxed so much her bag slipped from her shoulder and fell on the ground. He wanted her to see him… at his most vulnerable. The previous day, he had growled like a pit bull when she found him in the bathroom. And now, he was willing to strip for her, in broad daylight. Why?
Louise purred at her feet. The cat was already sold on believing Santiago. Little traitor.
