Desert Bound (Cambio Springs) Read Online Free PDF Page B

Ted heard the door, but didn’t turn. Jena looked up, then glanced at Ted. She said, “Hot wolf at seven o’clock, chica .”
    Caleb was sitting next to Ted. “Hey,” he said with a frown. “Who’s hot?”
    Jena leaned over the counter as far as her expanding belly would allow. “You are.”
    “That’s right. Don’t forget it.” He kissed her. “Hottest man in the world, sitting right here.”
    Jena’s eyes lit up. “You mean you’re going to shift into George Clooney later?”
    “Jena…”
    Ted said, “He doesn’t actually do that when you—”
    “Of course I don’t!” Caleb scowled. “What have you been telling your friends?”
    “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
    Ted listened to their banter and tried to ignore the heat at her back.
    “Saving this for anyone?”
    Why did his voice have to sound sexy when he was tired?
    “Nope.” She sipped her iced tea and glanced at the clock over the counter, studiously avoiding looking at him. She needed to get back to her office, but she couldn’t leave right away. If she did, Alex would think it was because of him. And no one was chasing Ted out of her friend’s diner.
    “What’s good today?” He didn’t grab a menu, just leaned toward her and asked. Like a friend. Like they ate lunch together all the time. She half expected him to throw an arm around her back and lean in to kiss her temple like he’d always done when they were together.
    It was so easy to imagine, it hurt. She had to fix this. They had to at least be friends again. As Jena and Caleb teased each other and the hum of activity grew louder, she turned to him.
    “Listen, Alex—”
    “Just so you know, I’m done.” He lifted his eyes to hers. He was beyond exhausted. Looked like he hadn’t slept in a month. “I heard what you said the other night. I’m tired of trying to fix something you obviously don’t want anymore.”
    “What?”
    “What we had was… whatever. You know what we had. But now? I—we need to move on, right?”
    “Right?”
    “Are you asking or agreeing?”
    Was he joking? Or just really tired? Ted frowned. He’d been trying to win her back for months, trying to charm her and seduce her. Now he was just… done? Maybe the end was in sight with the resort planning and he was headed back to LA. She should be relieved, right? She was relieved. Alex out of sight was better. Then, they could gradually work on being friends again.
    He lifted an amused eyebrow. “Asking or agreeing, Ted?”
    “Asking you what?”
    “If we need to move on. You didn’t sound sure.”
    “No! Of course. I was just surprised. I mean, you’ve been… you know. And I was just thinking… I mean—”
    “What were you thinking?” His voice was hoarse again. “Because that look on your face is making me reconsider the giving up thing.”
    “You must be thirsty.” She shoved her water at him. “You’re probably not drinking enough. You know, even on cool days, dehydration—”
    “What were you thinking, Ted?”
    She took a breath. “Just that, I miss being friends with you. We should be friends again. Real friends. Not you pretending to be my friend to get me into bed, like you have been.”
    “I had a lot more planned than just the bed.”
    “Focus.” She glared at him. “Allie’s going through all this shit with Joe leaving. Jena has the baby coming. The resort is being built. We just… need our friends. All of us.”
    He looked at her a long time, and Ted had to fight the urge to run her hand along the edge of his jaw. He did look tired. Exhausted. Sometimes, when he’d been like that before, he’d lay on her chest and put his face in her neck, breathing in her scent as if just the smell of her would let him rest. She could still feel the stubble where it rasped against her collarbone.
    She saw his eyes drift to her neck, like he was remembering, too. She turned away and took a drink of water.
    “I need to get back to work.”
    His voice was still