Surprise Delivery(32)

I raise my glass again. “Doesn’t really mix,” I say. “But, thanks.”

“Suit yourself.”

We sip our drinks in silence, each of us looking at the other. And though I’m looking at her more with curiosity, there seems to be something more in her eyes – something I recognize. It’s then that I realize her reason for this little impromptu get together.

“Music’s nice. She has a gorgeous voice. Who is it?” she asks.

“Her name’s Mary Juane Clair,” I say. “I’ve only just stumbled onto her, but I think her music is fantastic.”

“This is actually not the kind of music I imagined you listening to,” Sandra laughs.

I chuckle. “No? And what did you figure I listened to?”

She shrugs. “I kind of took you more for a hard rock kind of guy,” she admits. “With some classic rock mixed in, maybe.”

“I do enjoy some hard rock. Classic rock too. Pink Floyd, in my opinion, is one of the greatest bands to ever perform,” I say. “But, sometimes something a little mellower, something a little more soothing is just what the doctor ordered.”

She nods and sips her wine. “Yeah, after the kind of day we had today, something a little mellower is probably a good idea.”

“What about you? What’s on your playlist?”

She laughs. “I’m a Beatles girl at heart,” she says. “But I enjoy some hip-hop. A little R&B as well.”

“Yeah, that kind of fits you,” I nod.

“Does it?” she asks, taking a long drink of her wine, her eyes never leaving mine.

“It does,” I say and laugh.

An air of expectation suddenly infuses the air between us. It’s crackling with an electricity that’s never been there between us before.

“So, are you seeing anybody back home?” she asks.

I shake my head. “No,” I say. “Not at the moment. You?”

A slow smile curls the corners of her mouth upward in a feline grin. “Nope. As single as they come.”

“I find that hard to believe.”

She shrugs. “Believe it,” she says. “It’s the truth. My last relationship was almost a year ago and was a total train wreck. It didn’t end well, to say the least. Since then, I’ve kind of sworn off relationships. And guys.”

I laugh and take a sip of my drink. “Well, I’m sure you’ll find somebody who makes you change your mind,” I tell her.

She shrugs again. “Maybe. I’m not too worried about it right now,” she says. “Right now, I plan on focusing on enjoying my life. And to that end…”

Sandra lets her words trail off as she stands up and sets her wine glass down on the nightstand, then reaches down and takes my glass from me, her eyes never leaving mine the entire time. She sets my glass down beside hers and then straddles my lap. As she leans forward, I feel my body reacting. Sandra grasps my head in both hands and only one thought stands out in my mind – she’s not Alexis.

I abruptly break our contact by standing up and forcing Sandra off my lap. She takes a step backward, an absolutely mortified expression on her face. Her cheeks flare with color, her lips are trembling, and her eyes are wide, brimming with tears she’s fighting like hell to keep from falling.

Giving her a small smile, I take her hand and give it a squeeze. “This is going to sound incredibly lame, but it’s me, it isn’t you.”

She chuckles softly, almost in disbelief, wipes at her eyes, and sniffs. “You’re right, that does sound lame.”

“I’m sorry, Sandra, but I just can’t.”

“It felt like you could to me,” she says, her voice filled with hurt. “I guess you just don’t want to?”

I sigh. Though I’ve shared a lot of things about my life with her, there are always areas that I would prefer to keep to myself. I’m not the type who typically spills all of my secrets or shares my innermost thoughts with anybody. Some things are for me and me alone. But I can see the hurt etched into her features and kind of feel like I owe her an explanation.

“I’m not seeing anybody back home,” I repeat. “But there is somebody who I plan on seeing once I get back.”

“Oh,” she whispers. “I see. I’m sorry, I didn’t –”

“No way you could have known, Sandra,” I interrupt.

She stands there biting her bottom lip, not meeting my eyes for a long moment. The expectation that had infused the air a short time ago is gone, but it’s been replaced by an air of awkwardness. Which, I guess, is to be expected.

“Listen,” I say. “Any guy would be lucky to have a chance with you. Honestly, I’m flattered. You are an amazing woman. And if not for Alexis being on my mind, I would take you up on that offer in a heartbeat. Believe me.”

She finally raises her eyes and they are filled with embarrassment and hurt. “Y – you would?”

“In a heartbeat,” I insist. “I just don’t think it would be fair to you to do this. Not while somebody else is occupying my thoughts. You deserve more and better than that.”

A thin smile touches her lips, but at least I see some of the embarrassment draining from her eyes.

“Yeah, I do, don’t I?” she says with a laugh.