Chapter Thirty ROWAN
Chapter Thirty
ROWAN
I told myself on the flight home that I would savor Mae and take my time. I was going to have to take a rain check on the savoring because instead, I had her up against the door shuddering as I sank into her silky, clenching core only minutes after we walked inside.
My jeans were shoved down around my hips, and she still had her shirt on. We’d ditched her jeans simply because that was the only way for me to be buried inside her. I held still, resting my forehead against hers for a moment as I took several deep breaths and clung to my control.
“Look at me, sweetheart,” I murmured against her lips.
I dragged my eyes open and lifted my head just enough to see her. Her big ginger eyes blinked open, and I could feel the beat of her heart thumping against my chest. We stared at each other. My heart felt so full I thought it might burst.
I loved Mae so much. We didn't say a word.
Everything was communicated with our eyes.
Her breath hitched in her throat, and I finally drew back, adjusting her in my arms before I filled her again and again and again.
Then she was trembling all over, her hips bucking against me.
My release took me by surprise, hitting me so hard I let out a rough shout as lightning sizzled through me.
After we disentangled, we changed into more comfortable clothes, and Mae reheated the pizza. We ate in her bed with the TV on in the background. I looked over at her.
“I meant to be smooth about that. It was going to be a whole seduction,” I said between bites of pizza.
She grinned. “Seriously?” At my nod, she added, “Okay, I'll hold you to that next time.”
I chuckled. I made good on my promise in the sleepy darkness.
When I woke the next morning, Mae was already up.
After a quick shower, I found her in the kitchen.
She had her laptop open on the kitchen table, and she looked worried.
She had that little furrow between her brows, and her nose was scrunched up.
She was also tapping her thumb on the counter.
That was the giveaway. Back in our college days, she’d tap her thumb when she was worried about an exam.
“What is it?” I asked after I'd gotten some coffee and sat down across from her.
Her eyes swung to mine as she took a quick breath as if bracing herself. “Chet emailed me.”
I’d been lifting my mug, and it froze in the air. Anger sliced through me like a hot blade. “What?”
She cleared her throat, her face a little pale as she repeated, “Chet emailed me.”
I lowered my mug to the table. “About what? How does he even have your email?”
She shrugged. “I don't know. It's just a subject line. It says, ‘So, I heard you told someone what happened.’ How does he even know I talked to anyone?”
I took a slow breath. “Can I see the email?”
Mae turned her laptop toward me at the table. She stood from her chair, appearing much calmer than me about this. “Don't open it. Just look at it in the preview pane.”
My fury had nowhere to go. I wanted to smash her laptop, but that wouldn't do a damn thing to Chet. I wanted to call him and scream, and I had his number. I read the subject line, that hot jolt of fury settling in my gut and churning. She returned to the table a moment later, nudging my mug closer. “Have a sip. It’ll help.”
I took a quick swallow, the bitter flavor not even doing justice to my mood. “Mae, why didn't you tell me about this? This was days ago.”
She lifted a shoulder in a light shrug as she sat down. “What were you going to do? I didn't want to mess up your trip. You had other things to deal with.”
I took another gulp of coffee and closed her laptop. “I talked to an attorney.”
“What? About this?” She tapped her thumb on the edge of her mug handle.
“Yeah.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Rowan, I don't want you to do anything. There's nothing to do.”
“Mae, the statute of limitations has not expired,” I pressed.
“I know, but it's not a good case. If the attorney told you anything other than that, they’re no good. Is that why he's emailing me? When did you talk to the attorney?” She stood from the table abruptly, wrapping her arms around her waist and pacing in a circle in the kitchen.
“Mae, you look more upset about this than the email from Chet.” I gestured pointlessly at her closed laptop.
“Because I trusted you.”
“Hey, I swear I didn't talk to Chet. I have his number, but I promise he hasn’t heard anything from me. I talked to my dad, who put me in contact with a friend of his who handles criminal cases.”
She uncurled her arms from her waist, running her hand through her hair and tucking it behind her ears. “I have to get ready for work,” she muttered quickly as she glanced up at the clock over the stove.
She didn't even kiss me goodbye. I had a bad feeling, and I had to get to the station. I should’ve asked her before I talked to anyone. I’d let my own frustration, my need to somehow help, get in the way. I had screwed up.