Kiss Me at Midnight(22)
Author: Diane Alberts

How long would it be before some smart man claimed her as his own?

Her lips opened under his, and she wrapped her hands around the back of his neck, holding him in place. As if she was scared he was going to leave, and the worst part was he was. In the morning, before she woke up, he’d be gone.

It would be better that way. After all, what could be sweeter than this?

And once he left, she’d move on without him.

Maybe find a man who wasn’t as averse to living in Rehoboth as he was.

Chapter Ten

Ashley woke up the next morning, her thighs sore and her heart aching. She rolled over, reaching out for him with her hand. All she felt was empty sheets. She knew, without even opening her eyes, that he’d left her while she was asleep. He’d run from her again, but this time she wasn’t chasing him down. He was free.

It’s not as if she hadn’t known it was coming. But still, it was slightly disappointing. Part of her had hoped he would stick around to say goodbye.

Maybe a lingering kiss and a promise to never forget her…

But, yeah, she hadn’t even gotten that. Had he even spent the night, or had he crept away in the dark of the night, not willing to spend the night in her bed?

She sat up, hugging the sheets to her chest. Her eyes skimmed over the room, looking for his shoes or something that would tell her he hadn’t just walked away from her. Something that told her he at least cared enough to say goodbye. All she saw was the empty chair where his coat had been and her own clothes scattered about.

He was gone—and she was alone.

The door to her condo shut, and she jumped out of the bed the second she heard it, picking up her nightie and pulling it over her head. She could chase after him. Get that last kiss she’d so fiercely desired.

But then what? He would still go away, and she would still left behind in Rehoboth instead of living her big city dreams, taking care of her mother. She didn’t mind doing it so much. It was part of being an only child.

But she needed a man by her side that wouldn’t run away. One that didn’t require chasing. And Ethan? He wasn’t it. It was time to let him go. So…she let him go.

She sat down and stared at her empty, rumpled bed.

What the heck was she supposed to do next?

…

She hadn’t chased after him.

Ethan shoved his last shirt into his suitcase and closed it. When he went to zip it up, he realized he would never get the damn thing closed unless he actually folded the clothes. Man, he was horrible at packing.

Just like relationships.

He felt like screaming. Hell, he missed her already, and he hadn’t even left yet. He couldn’t help replaying that conversation over and over again in his head. How long would it be before she moved on with a guy who wouldn’t push her away? How long before she was getting married and having little Ashley’s that he’d never get to help raise?

Damn it, he was going crazy. He didn’t even want kids.

He guessed part of his uncertainty was the doubt. Every other time they separated, she was always the first one to tell him to come back. To stop being such a runner.

But she hadn’t texted him at all. Had he really expected her to?

He sat down next to the suitcase and rubbed his forehead. His head felt like it was ready to explode at the slightest provocation and the pain pulling at his heart every time he thought of Ashley, and leaving her behind wasn’t helping.

He swallowed hard and flopped back on the bed, glowering up at the ceiling. He was in his old bedroom, and hanging over his bed was the picture Ashley had made for him when he stopped talking to her. It was a collage made from different pictures of them through the years. She had slipped it into his locker toward the end of the school year after he’d spent months avoiding her.

Even after he’d been a complete jerk to her, she’d come after him.

But not anymore.

Had he really expected any different?

Such a tangled web he had gotten himself into. He eyed the picture, which said friends forever under their smiling faces. Though he hadn’t said a word to her about it, when he’d gotten home he had hung it up on his wall. After telling himself it was part of his past, he hadn’t packed it among his things when he moved away from Delaware.

But he’d never been able to take it down, even after all of this time.

Probably never would.

A knock sounded at the door. Ethan turned, expecting to see Alex, but it was his mom. “Oh, hi, Mom.”

She came in and eyed his mess of a suitcase. “You packing up already?”

“Yeah. I do have a flight to catch in a few hours, after all.”

“Yeah, I know.” She sat down on his bed. “I thought you might decide to stay this time, though.”

“Why would I do that?” Ethan asked.

“Ashley. I heard you two spent a lot of time together.” His mom reached out and squeezed his hand. “I always thought you two would end up getting married, you know.”

Ethan swallowed hard. He didn’t want that. But even so…he could see it. It made his heart speed up, the thought of her walking down the aisle toward him. “Mom, we’re just friends.”

“If you say so,” she said, dropping his hand. “When will you be back?”

“I don’t know.” Ethan picked up a shirt off of the floor and turned back to her. Normally, he would say next Christmas, but he wanted to come back sooner than that. Maybe see what Ashley was up to. How she was adjusting to being her mom’s caretaker. Just check in on her, like any good friend would. “Maybe Easter?”

“That’s better than Christmas, which is what I was expecting to hear, but still months away.” She nibbled on her lower lip and tugged on a piece of her graying hair. “Can’t you come home more often?”

She asked him this every time he came back, and every time…his answer was the same. “Mom, I live in California.” He tossed the shirt in to his suitcase. “Don’t worry. The time will go by fast.”

“That’s not why you don’t come home,” she said, picking up the shirt he’d just tossed into the suitcase and folding it in her lap. “It’s because you hate this town.”

He hesitated. “Well, can you blame me?”

“No, and I’m so sorry.” She sighed and set his shirt down, then raised her dark brown eyes to his. “I wish we could have protected you from your childhood. You know that, right?”

“I do.” Ethan sat down and threw his arm over her frail shoulders. “You took care of me, Mom. There’s nothing to be sorry for.”