One Good Man (22 page)

"
Elyse.
"

"We're over." Her face felt stiff from the effort to appear calm, from holding back the rage clawing her. Not just rage.

Betrayal.

"You're not going to talk to him?"

She shook her head. "No."
I never want to see his face
again.

"So you're just going to up and walk away from everything in your life."

Her life? Elyse wanted to laugh. What life? Working at the Hi-Lite Bakery? Living in this crappy little apartment with the puke-yellow walls? Her life had been Adam and her dreams of a future with him. But that was over now.

Jason's hand brushed her shoulder. "Listen, hon. You're over-reacting, big time."

She flinched, not only from his touch, but from the memory. "Don't."
Don't touch me. Don't talk about it.

207

One Good Man

by Nona Raines

He took no offence from her reaction. In a gentle voice he said, "What happened tonight was just a blip on the radar. A little experiment. No big deal. Happens all the time. Just put it behind you, and—"

"Can you take me to the bus station?"

Jason went still for a time, as though silently counting to ten to summon patience.

Before he finished the count, Elyse said "Never mind. I'll figure it out on my own. I'll take a cab"—then, remembering her meager store of cash—"or walk."

For the first time, Jason's temper snapped. "Don't be stupid. You're not walking anywhere in the middle of the night." He indicated the kitten curled up on the pillow. "What about your friend? Are you going to leave her here?"

"Of course not." Elyse's cheeks burned. In all her half-assed planning, her jumbled brain had completely forgotten poor Jezebel. "I've got a carrier for her somewhere."

The plans kept coming. She had a credit card. She could use it to get a motel room for a week or so in a new place, until she found a job. She'd make it work out.

But Jason insisted on pointing out all the inconvenient facts. "Summit is not New York City. The bus station's not open this time of night."

Shit. He was so fucking reasonable. Elyse wanted to punch him. "Then I'll hitch-hike. Someone's bound to give me a ride."

"Like who, a rapist? A serial killer?" Jason's voice was sharp. "Are you out of your mind?" He stood up and sighed.

"You're determined to be an ass about this, aren't you?"

208

One Good Man

by Nona Raines

Elyse firmed her jaw and said nothing.

"Well, then." He gestured to the suitcase on the bed. "Get your shit. Get the cat. You're coming with me."

Elyse got to her feet, blinking at him. "Huh?"

"Get your stuff. I'm not leaving you alone here to pull God knows what idiotic stunt. You can stay with me tonight, and in the morning I'll take you wherever you want to go."

"With you?"

"I've got a room at the Hotel Excelsior. You can stay with me there. Don't give me that look. You're utterly safe with me. We can share the bed. I promise I won't touch you."

"No."

"Fine, then." He rolled his eyes, the gesture of a man using up his last reserve of patience. "You can sleep in a chair. I'm not giving up the bed—that much of a gentleman I'm not."

"I mean, no, I'm not your problem."

"You are now. Look, I'm exhausted, and not in the mood for these arguments. Now where's the cat crate? We'll get her in it and go."

He did look tired, his face pale and dark half-moons hanging under his eyes. And suddenly she realized she was tired, too. "In the closet over there. Does the hotel allow pets?"

"We'll sneak her in under my jacket or something. Let's go."

After stuffing a wriggling Jezebel into her carrier, Elyse turned to the man she'd slept with, yet hardly knew. She still hated him, even though he was being kind. She still hated 209

One Good Man

by Nona Raines

herself. And Adam—
No. Don't think about him
. She would erase him from her memory, never think about him again.

"I won't bother you after tomorrow," she told him, her voice low. Then she realized it was already tomorrow.

"Maybe by then you'll come to your senses." Jason led the way out, carrying her suitcase, while Elyse followed with the cat.

If by that he meant she might change her mind, he was dead wrong.

Elyse left the apartment, knowing she would never come back again. As she locked the door, she was sealing up her past and putting it behind her. She knew how to do that.

She'd had lots of practice.

* * * *

210