I’m not foolish enough to think that those two worlds can blend.

I manage to slide out of his embrace, pack my bag, and use the bathroom without waking him. I stand at the side of the bed and take him in, his gorgeous, messy blond hair with coppery streaks, his square jaw with that amazing stubble that feels great on the inside of my thighs. And his muscular body, naked from the waist up, the sheet covering his lower body.

I wish I could hear him call me darling or love one more time, or tease him by spewing out a bad imitation of an accent, but it’s better if I just go and avoid the whole awkward good-bye thing.

I tiptoe to the dining room and find a piece of paper and a pen and jot a quick note, dropping my purse to the floor with a loud clunk. I still and listen, my lip clenched to my teeth, praying I didn’t wake him.

I’m so fucking clumsy! Not hearing any rustling noises from the bedroom, I turn to the pen and paper and try to think about what I’m going to say.

Jacob,

Thank you for everything this weekend. It’s been an experience I’ll never forget. I can now cross have a hot affair with a sexy ski instructor off my bucket list.

Best wishes,

Grace

“What are you doing?” I whirl at the sound of his voice and cringe inwardly.

“I was just going to leave.”

He cocks a sleepy brow and shuffles to me, takes the note out of my fingers and reads it, his eyes hardening as he raises them back to me.

“Is that what it was, Grace? A hot affair to cross off your bucket list?” His voice is soft and raspy from sleep, but his eyes are narrowed on mine.

No! That’s not all it is! I want to yell those words at him, launch myself in his arms and ask him if I can stay another night, or if we can continue seeing each other after this weekend, but I know that’s ridiculous.

“I had a lovely time,” I reply, and lift my chin. “But I really should get home and start preparing for my classes tomorrow. I have work to do.”

“Of course.” He pushes his hand through his hair in agitation. God, just leave, Grace! Why did he have to wake up and make it so damn uncomfortable?

“Can I talk you into breakfast at least?” He’s polite again, and is careful not to touch me, and I feel more foolish by the minute.

“Oh, no, thank you. You’ve been more than generous.” I hope the smile I give him looks more genuine than it feels as I stand on my toes and kiss his cheek. “Take care, Jacob.”

He brushes his knuckles down my face and smiles softly. “You, as well, Grace.”

I grab my bags and hurry out of his room and down to the lobby, praying that I’m able to keep the tears at bay until I’m on my way back home.

The valet is quick to fetch my car, as there aren’t many customers at barely six o’clock in the morning, and I make my way down the mountain, wondering if I did the right thing. Should I have stayed for breakfast?

No, that would have just been awkward. I can’t have him thinking I’m getting attached and making assumptions. It was just a weekend fling, after all. There were certainly no promises made from either of us that we’d continue seeing each other after last night.

So why does it feel like my heart is being torn out of my chest?

chapter

9

~ JACOB ~

Three fucking days. She’s been gone for three days and I’m moping around like a lost puppy.

It’s bloody horrifying.

I take a sip of cold tea and motion for Babs to send over a fresh cup. I’m sitting in the restaurant, my laptop open in front of me, and I can’t bloody focus.

I can’t stop thinking about Grace.

“Here you go, boss.” Babs winks and replaces my cold tea with a fresh cup of hot water and Earl Grey on the side.

“Thank you, Babs.”

“Need anything else?”

I shake my head and wave her off. She shrugs and walks away and I stare out the window at the people skiing down the hill, others riding up the lift. It’s late afternoon and I’ve been sitting here since this morning.

I’m supposed to be looking over reports from my financial adviser, but I gave up long ago.

When I first read the note Grace left me that morning, her standing there all rumpled from a long night of sex, I was tempted to shake some sense into her and convince her that I wanted to keep seeing her.

But her note, her words, her body language were clear. It was a weekend fling for her, and nothing more, and as much as it bruises my ego—and my heart—it’s something I just have to learn to live with.

But fuck me, I miss her like mad.

A single woman is seated across the room from me. Her eyes survey the room and stop when she sees me. She looks me up and down and then offers me a cocked brow and a half smile. My gut rolls.

A week ago I would have charmed my way into the beautiful woman’s bed. Now, after Grace, the thought repulses me.

It all comes back to her. Her scent in my sheets, making it impossible for me to sleep at night, yet I’ve forbade housekeeping from changing them. The reminder of how she looked on her knees in my shower every time I step inside it. Grace, making me laugh my ass off as I taught her to ski on my hill.

Fuck, I need her like I need to breathe.

My decision made, I snap my laptop shut and shove it into my briefcase, grab my coat, and stride into the lobby and straight to Jeanette.

“I need Grace’s address, please.”

She tilts her head and says, “You know that’s a violation of privacy law.”

I slap my hand on the counter and lean over it menacingly, baring my teeth. “I’ll bail you out of jail, Jeanette. Give me the bloody address.”

She shrugs and pulls up the information on the computer, writes it down, and passes it to me. “Hold on.”

She disappears into her office and then returns with a scarf. “Grace left this here. You might as well return it to her.”

“Why didn’t you tell me this sooner?”

“It was yours to figure out, Bax. But I’m glad you finally did, because you’ve been prowling around here, snapping at anyone who dares look at you sideways all week.” She laughs and shakes her head. “Love is wasted on the young.”

“I never said love . . .”

“Call it what you want.” She waves me off and returns to her computer. “Just go get your girl.”

I hop onto the desk and lean over to lay a smacking kiss on Jeanette’s cheek, then jog out to the valet. “I’ll need the SUV, please.”

“Sure thing.” The attendant leaves to fetch my car and I check my watch. It’s after four. She should be home from school by now, shouldn’t she?

My car arrives and I make my way carefully down the narrow mountain road. If I fall over the embankment, I’ll never get to Grace.

I finally pull up to her small house in a quiet, well-kept neighborhood and cut my engine, watching the house.

I’ve turned into a bloody stalker.

I shake my head as I climb out of the car and make my way up the sidewalk to her front porch. I ring the bell and wait. The house seems to be still. Maybe she’s not home yet? I ring the bell again and hear footsteps in the house, then an angry meow and a loud thud.

“Motherfucker!”

chapter

10

~ Grace ~

This has been the day from hell. I really need to climb into bed and stay there before I break a bone or knock myself out.

I gently touch my cheek and wince as the pain shoots through my head. I pull into my driveway and frown when I see Hannah’s car also sitting in the drive. She’s never usually home at this time on a weekday. As Cunningham Falls’ newest OB/GYN physician, she works long hours.

Sometimes I forget I even have a roommate.

I trudge through the snow up to my porch and trip on the top step, sending me headlong into the door. I barely catch myself with my hand, but still manage to scrape my palm.

“Fucking A, this day sucks,” I mutter between clenched teeth, and push my way inside.

“Grace?”

“Yeah, it’s me.” I toss my keys onto a table by the door and toe my boots off before walking into the living room. “What are you doing home so early?”

“I just ran home to change my clothes,” she replies as she smooths her red hair into a ponytail. “I had a messy delivery.”

“Gross, I don’t want to know.” I shake my head and drop onto the couch.

“What happened to your cheek?”

I shrug one shoulder and don’t answer her.

“Grace, let me look at that.”

“It’s just a bruise.”

“No, it’s not. There’s a cut there, too. Come here.”

“If I move I’ll probably end up flat on my ass for the fourth time today, and I just don’t have the energy to get back up.”

“Come on, friend.” Hannah helps me to my feet and leads me to her small bathroom. “I’m just going to clean it up a bit. It doesn’t need a bandage.”

“It hurts like a bitch.”

“I’m sure it does. How did it happen?” She dampens some cotton balls with peroxide and dabs the cut. I suck my breath in through my teeth. “Sorry,” she murmurs.

“It doesn’t matter how it happened.”

“Wow, you’ve been a bitch to live with all week, Grace. Wanna talk about it?”

I hang my head in my hands and sigh deeply. “I’m sorry, Han. I don’t mean to take my mood out on you. Just kick me and tell me to stop being a bitch.”