Around the World in 80 Men Series: Books 11-20 (12 page)

He
went to stand up, but Morgan snapped her fingers for him to sit back
down and he did. “You've got bruises and scratches all over
your backside! I..I'm so sorry!”

The
girl giggled and pulled a towel from the rack to hide the evidence.
“It's okay. If you haven't noticed, I'm really clumsy.”
Morgan even pointed at her forehead that still had a faint cut over
her eye. “Just last week I fell getting out of the tub and cut
myself on the sink. It's really no big deal.” If she had to get
a few scratches from a wood pile to end up in the tub with Tyler,
she'd do it a hundred times over. Tyler, on the other hand, wouldn't
agree. He felt awful seeing the girl hurt, even if she wouldn't admit
it. “Oh no, you're not going to blame yourself. Get that
look...no, stop it...get that look off your face!” Morgan
laughed and Tyler laughed with her. His boo-boo lip had been anything
but sympathizing. “Be right back,” she said and left the
bathroom, clinging the towel to her body with one hand.

“No,
you're not seriously...put the camera down!” Tyler hid his face
when she returned.

“I
will not! Take your hands down!” Morgan won the battle with a
bit more persuasion and the man gave her what she wanted. She told
him where to put his arms and she got a gorgeous photo of the man.
“Thank you!” She ran out of the bathroom before he could
get up to chase after her and she hid her camera deep in her bag so
he couldn't delete the picture.

That
night, they slept in his bed, rather than the living room floor, but
Morgan still had a fireplace to lull her to sleep. Not that she
needed anything other than the Incredible Hulk holding her tightly
and kissing her neck to help her sleep, but a fire was always nice.

*****

When
the following day rolled around, the two awoke to quite a surprise.
The snowdrift had completely covered up the bedroom window and
Morgan's first thought was there had been seven feet of snow
overnight. Tyler explained that the snow always collected on the
windowsill and made it appear more than what was really out there.
They had gotten ready to go back over to the main house, but when
Tyler went out to clean off and warm the truck, they realized that
neither of them were going anywhere. They could have theoretically
walked the distance in three and a half feet of snow, but both of
them agreed it would be better to call it a snow day.

They
spent most of the day in front of the fire, talking, sharing stories
and roasting marshmallows in the fireplace. Morgan had enjoyed the
naked parts the most, but the conversations had also been very nice.
That snow day had been nothing like the ones that she would
occasionally enjoy when she was still in school, but it would be one
that Morgan knew she'd never forget.

Early
the next morning, she awoke first from the sound of a familiar reggae
tune. Before she had even climbed out of the bed, her heart had sunk
into her stomach because she had a feeling of who the caller was.
When she got to her phone, she sighed loudly because her intuition
had been correct. The night before, she actually debated on whether
or not she wanted to turn it on, but in the end, responsibility won
the mental debate and she turned it on...just in case.

“Julianne?”
Morgan walked out into the hallway and quietly answered the phone.

“Dear,
the storm that you just had is nothing compared to the one that's
heading your way. You have to leave today. The last flight is
leaving at three, so I need you out of there before then. Where are
you going next?”

Morgan
looked around the room and threw her free arm into the air. It was
hard to swallow what Julianne had just told her.
Today? I...I
can't leave today...
“Uhm...I...I haven't looked yet.”
The girl didn't want to admit to her boss that she hadn't even
checked the database yet, but she had nothing else to tell her.

“Pick
a place and I'll see what I can do,” Julianne told her.

Shit.
It's not just about the place. I need to see the man!
“Can...can
I look first?” Morgan dared to ask.

“Morgan,
I don't have time, I have to get you a flight now. Just pick a place.
Trust me, I have a good grasp on your taste in men.” Julianne
was breaking her own rule, but she was in a desperate situation.
Never had she picked a client for her women, but she needed to get
Morgan out of Canada or she'd be there until the end of the following
week. She had also never had to deal with a freak batch of early
winter snowstorms back to back like what was currently happening.

“Uh,
shit...uhm...” Morgan thought frantically. No, she definitely
didn't want to go back to Ohio. “Portugal!” It was the
first place that popped into her head and she put her palm up to her
face, hoping that she wouldn't regret her choice.

“Alright
dear. Have your things ready. I'll email your itinerary in a few
moments.” Julianne hung up and Morgan fell to her knees on the
carpet in front of the fireplace.

Fuck!
This isn't how it was supposed to go!
Morgan's eyes burned with
tears of frustration.
Okay, it's only one day early. We just have
to break up today.
“This sucks,” she whispered into
the room.

“What
sucks?” Tyler's voice made her jump and it scared the tear
right out of her eye. “Hun, what's wrong?”

“Julianne
just called. I have to go today, Tyler.” She stood and walked
over to him, then rested her head against his chest. “I don't
want to leave you yet.” Tyler lifted her head up gently with a
finger under her chin, then pushed a lock of hair behind her ear.

“Well,
I guess we better plan our breakup, huh?” Tyler's words forced
a small smile on her lips, but that's all she could conjure. They
decided that they would pack her bags first, then go break up. Morgan
only had an hour to think up her script and she hoped it would be
good enough.

Before
walking out the door, Tyler stopped and held her close. “I've
had the best time with you, and even though we're breaking up, I
don't plan to let you out of my life.” He kissed the top of
her head when he felt her nod into his wide chest.

*****

“Morgan,
is something the matter, dear?” Gwen reached across the table
to gently touch the girl's arm. Morgan had been sitting silently at
the table during their lunch. Partially due to the fact she was
genuinely sad about leaving, but mostly due to acting. She knew it
would be hard to play someone who wasn't her typical, happy self, but
she put herself into the mindset of a woman who was about to break up
with the love of her life.

She
was holding onto Tyler's hand and when Gwen asked the question, she
tightened her grip to let her fiance know it was coming. She looked
over to the sexy man, and before she could even say a word, the first
tear fell. Gwen brought her hands up to her face and shook her head
slowly back and forth. She knew what was coming too.

“Tyler...you...you
know I love you, but...” she looked over to Gwen, then back at
Tyler. “I can't do this...”

“Can't
do what?.....us?” The man acted perfectly.

Morgan
put her head down and nodded, then wiped a tear from her eye. “We've
been snowed in the whole week, and I...I just can't do this. I...I
don't want to. I mean...I can't live out here in the middle of
nowhere. I..I'm from a big city, and that's what I'm used to.”
Rambling was always a good way to get a point across. “I can't
live here and...” she looked between Gwen and Tyler again, then
with a lower voice she added, “and I would never ask you to
leave your family.”

Tyler
brought her hand up to his lips and kissed her softly. He put her
hand back down on the table and sighed loudly. “I didn't even
ask you...I just...I didn't even think about you leaving your life
behind. I can't expect that of you either.”

“I
have to go. Today. I'm sorry...the last thing I've ever wanted to do
is hurt you,” Morgan whispered and slid the ring from her
finger, then set it on the table in front of him.

“Come
here.” Tyler pulled her in for a hug and held her tightly for a
few moments. “It's okay,” he whispered.

Morgan
said her goodbyes to the family, and even changed out the raccoon on
Uncle Matt's lap for Oswald. Even in just the short time with the
family, she had fallen in love with the whole bunch of them. They
were a great group of people and it saddened Morgan even more because
under the circumstances, she wondered if she would ever see Tyler or
his family ever again.

“Morgan,
I know that you may not be ready right now, but you two love each
other, so just give it time.” Gwen hugged her tightly, feeling
as if the break up wouldn't be permanent, and already looking forward
to having her return. Morgan nodded and let her believe that there
was still a possibility for their future, as she hoped that it would
lessen the pain that she had caused.

The
gorgeous Canadian man drove her back to the house, and along the way,
Morgan spent her last ride with him cuddled up to his side.

“It
really fucking sucks that you have to leave today,” Tyler spoke
to her as they entered the house. When they were safe from the wind
and he didn't have to yell, he grabbed her and pulled her in for
another hug, then told her that he couldn't thank her enough for what
she had done.

“No
problem, Tyler. I had a lot of fun with you...” The tears
formed again at the thought of leaving. Julianne's itinerary had told
her that her flight was scheduled for two-fifteen, meaning she only
had an hour to get to the airport. “Goodbyes fucking suck too,”
Morgan's muffled voice vibrated against his chest.

Tyler
called a cab for Morgan and he drove her to end of his parent's
driveway to wait. When the little white car pulled up, the man
helped her with her bags, then they shared their last kiss. The kiss
that Morgan would think about all the way to her next destination.
It was also the kiss that made Tyler vow to never lose contact with
the beautiful, Morgan, and maybe...just maybe...he could win her
heart for real.

*****

“Goodbye,
Tyler. Goodbye, Canada. Goodbye, Uncle Matt.” Morgan watched
the snowy ground get farther away as the plane lifted into the air.
Her tears had finally stopped, but the pain was still there.

It
wasn't until an hour into the flight that Morgan even thought about
her next client, and it finally sunk in that she didn't even know who
she was meeting.
Oh, Julianne, please pick a good one!
Judging
by the knowledge of the men Julianne had chosen in her past, Morgan
wasn't too worried about the woman's decision.
I'm sure he'll be
gorgeous and we'll have a great time...

To
get her mind off of the days events, she pulled out her scrapbook and
did her routine.

Tyler,

The
sweetest fiance I ever had and the best proposal that I've ever
heard. I've never had so much fun getting snowed in. You'll always
have a place in my heart.

Morgan

She
closed her scrapbook, and her eyes, in hopes of mentally preparing
herself for Portugal, but soon she fell asleep with the gentle
rocking of the plane.

*****

Carlos
Fausto had just received his confirmation from Julianne, and a
twisted smile spread across his handsome face. “Seems I'll
have a little bitch to play with after all.” His mind filled
with plans for his arriving play mate, and his body hardened at the
thought of having a new woman to entertain his desires.

He
turned to the three drunk men that he had been sitting with at the
bar, and made an announcement to his friends. “Want to have
some fun this weekend? Seems we'll have a new toy!”

*****

A
very tired Finlay Campbell just arrived home to Scotland from his
travels. When he dumped his luggage bag to sort for laundry something
shiny caught his eye. “Ah, bloody hell, lass!” Finlay
picked up Morgan's wee bracelet and rolled it between his fingers.
“She's going to think I took it...”