Page 84 of Nothing to Tell

Her silent inhale was almost a gasp; she had just enough time to clamp her hands under her arms to cover her naked breasts before the door opened.At the same time, Bastian stepped out of the bathroom.

The uniformed man in the doorway lost his stoicism to a flash of surprise.

Bastian’s double-take was fast.“Out,” he shouted at the steward.

Drawing her lips into her mouth, the horror on the steward’s face almost warranted a laugh.The employee didn’t have to be told twice, he dropped her bag and literally fell out of the room.

When the door closed again, she looked to Bastian.“Oops.”

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

Her humor faded under the heat of his anger.“I’m sorry, I didn’t—I wasn’t… I’m sorry I wanted to—”

“What?”he demanded, marching to the side of the bed.“Don’t cheapen what’s going on here!He’ll tell every man on the staff exactly what he saw.Those men want you.They’ve thought about you—”

“Bastian,” she said, kneeling up in front of him.“I’m sorry.”

He closed his eyes and turned his back, bringing his hand up to his forehead.

“Cover yourself up,” he commanded and marched back into the bathroom.

THIRTY

TEARS NIPPED HER EYES.Sealing her mouth, she feared opening it would dislodge the sob locked in her throat.

Upsetting him wasn’t the point, she didn’t want to upset anyone.It was late, her mind was foggy and she just wanted to rest.Sleep.Bed.That was it, all she’d wanted.And she couldn’t dial it back enough to do the right thing.The smart, sensible, polite thing.

That look on his face.Oh, she couldn’t get it out of her head even with her eyes squeezed shut.The glower as he blatantly refused her.She wasn’t offering, it wasn’t…

She was getting comfortable, expecting her nightdress would turn up with her bag.It wasn’t like she wanted to seduce him or anything.Though if she had, his rejection couldn’t have been more clear.It hadn’t been her intention, but knowing how he felt about her body…

Surely Bastian must have seen thousands of breasts in his time.Why were hers so offensive?Did he think she was throwing herself at him?Being inappropriate?Expecting something?The sex thing was a joke, he got that… Did he get that?

It didn’t matter.

Leaving the bed to go get her bag abandoned by the steward, she crouched to unzip it and retrieved a sweater and a pair of jeans.Sweater first, she scooped her hair out of the neck, swiping at the tears on her cheeks.

She couldn’t stay.Knowing his true opinion, being faced with it—he’d be embarrassed, by what he’d seen, what she’d shown.Even his carrying her upstairs took on a different tone.It wasn’t romantic, it was necessary.Almost falling asleep on him at the bar was ridiculous.Why did she keep forgetting this was fake?Why did she keep embarrassing him?

It didn’t matter.

Nothing mattered.

All she could see was the ferocity of his disgust.That was a memory she’d never erase.

Zipping her bag, she wiped her nose with the sleeve of her sweater.Hold on.Hold back the emotion, Harper.Getting upset would only compound the humiliation.She fought to contain the grief.She had to.Just a little longer.Just until she could get out of there.

Goddamn her.They’d been getting along so well.The night had been a dream.Friends, laughter, a night she’d hoped to remember with happiness.Until she ruined it.What a surprise.It was always her.People often said they were their own worst enemy.And there was her, proving the adage true every day.

Angering and repulsing him weren’t the goal of her stupid, selfish act.Why couldn’t she be more aware?Everyone else managed it.What the hell was wrong with her?

Throwing the bag backward onto the bed, she stood up, jeans in hand, and took a minute to unwind the legs before stepping into them.Once they were up, she fumbled with the zipper, struggling to see through her blurred vision.

“What are you doing?”

Instinct tempted her to turn in the direction of his voice, but she couldn’t.If she looked at him, the last thread of her composure would snap.Besides, her face would be a mess too, he didn’t need to see that.Please.Hang on to the last frayed shred of dignity.

“I’ll hail a cab from the street,” she said, hoping the vibration wasn’t as audible as it felt.