Page 56 of Resisting His Charm
Sliding out of his arms, the sanctuary I got way too used to having, I pick up the shoes I left by the door and tiptoe out of his bedroom. I left my purse in the living room on purpose. Picking it up, I press the button for the elevator. Once the doors open, I step in and select the lobby. Only when the doors shut, and there is no sign of Sammie, do I sink back in relief against the wall.
Slipping my feet into my shoes, I walk out of the lobby and onto the street. I pull my phone from my purse and call Jaxson.
“Poppy, it’s the middle of the night,” he answers.
“I messed up, Jaxson,” I tell him.
“What’s wrong?”
“I need to get out of this city. I can’t stay here.”
“Are you okay? Are you hurt?” he asks, sounding more alert.
“I’m not hurt. I just… I judged him wrong. He’s not who I thought he was. I need to get home.”
“Okay, hold on a sec. Jaggar is in LA. I’m going to hire a car for you. Can you make the drive?”
“Yeah.”
“Okay. I’m sending you directions to the car rental place. Get in an Uber and go straight there,” Jaxson instructs. “Don’t stop until you reach Jaggar.”
“What’s he doing in LA?”
“Rodeo,” Jaxson says.
“Right. I forgot.” My cousin Jaggar is a bull rider, not a pro, but he follows a circuit around. He could have gone pro. He chose not to, wanting to be able to be around the ranch rather than touring the world.
Logging into Uber, I book a car and wait. I’m not going to cry. I have to do this. I can’t stay. I can’t ignore the fact that I’ve been sleeping with a man whose family took mine away.
Chapter Twenty-Three
She fucking left. Snuck out in the middle of the goddamn night. Again. I don’t blame her, though. Dinner at my parents was a shitshow. I get it. It’s a lot to deal with. I don’t even want to deal with it, and they’remyfamily.
I watched her leave on the CCTV. I also tracked her down to a car rental place. Where she went once she got that car, I have no idea. The thought of tracking her down and finding out why sheleft is tempting. But I also don’t want to be the guy who chases her around the fucking country.
Maybe I’m more into her than she is into me. It’s possible I read into things, saw signs that weren’t there. I really thought I was winning her over, though, and that fucking sucks.
Footsteps against the marble floor echo through my otherwise-silent apartment. “Your phone broken?”
My father’s voice has me picking up my head. “Nope.”
“Then why the fuck aren’t you answering my calls?” He walks into my office and helps himself to my bar.
“Been busy,” I lie. I’ve been sitting here feeling sorry for myself. Replaying everything that happened last night over in my head, trying to pinpoint the moment Poppy changed her mind about me. About us.
“Where’s Poppy?” My father looks around my office as if the woman is just going to appear.
“She left.”
“She left?” He leans against the bookcase that lines the wall.
“Yep.”
“Why?”
If I knew thewhy, I’d be able to fix it, change her mind and bring her back. “No idea. She left in the middle of the night,” I tell him.
“What’d you do?” Dad asks.
