A Perfect Strategy. Anna Sugden

go to her, strangely needing the reassurance of touching her, when the door to the balcony slid open and Sapphie walked in, carrying her mug.

      “Hey, sleepyhead.” She put her mug next to the coffeemaker, then approached and leaned over to kiss him. She tasted of coffee, with a hint of mint.

      When she would have straightened, he caught her around the waist and tumbled her to the bed. “How about a proper good morning?”

      Sapphie laughed and twined her arms around his neck. “Good morning.”

      All too soon, she pulled out of his embrace and walked to the coffeemaker. “Would you like one?” She held up a mug.

      “Sure. Thanks.”

      “I held off ordering breakfast until you were awake. Are you hungry?”

      “Starving.” He scraped his hand over his stubbled jaw. “I guess I should get cleaned up and put some clothes on.”

      “I’ll call room service and breakfast should be here when you’re done.”

      Scott hid a frown. Their previously easy conversation had suddenly grown stilted. Awkward.

      “Great.” He threw back the covers and grabbed a robe. He padded to the bathroom, mug in hand. Before he was halfway there, Sapphie’s phone rang. With an apologetic smile, she answered the call and headed back out to her laptop.

      The bathroom looked bare without her toiletries. Nothing personal remained. Talk about a reality check.

      He understood she was an independent woman, with a successful business that was incredibly demanding. Efficiency and organization would be critical. He got that she needed to get her head in the game after a break; he’d always been the same. And he appreciated the lack of fuss. He’d seen enough of clinging women from being around his single teammates.

      But he’d expected...more. Some recognition that what they’d shared wasn’t just another wedding-reception hookup. Not that it had meant everything, but that it had at least meant something.

      Scott toweled off and, because he didn’t have an alternative, dressed in his formal pants and white shirt. It felt weird to be wearing clothes again. He shook his head. Man, he had to get his brain in gear.

      Sapphie was still on the phone when he came out of the bathroom. Breakfast was laid out on the table on the balcony. Her laptop was on the desk inside and she was typing quickly.

      “All right, Marty. I’ve rearranged my other meeting. I’ve checked flights and I can be in LA late tonight, to see you tomorrow morning. I’ll do a quick turnaround in Chicago. But I’ll need to head there for Wednesday.” She laughed. “Just remember my angelic status when it comes to my next contract.”

      She ended the call, then closed her laptop and slipped it into her briefcase.

      The chill was back. “Sounds like you have a busy time ahead.”

      Sapphie looked up at him, grimacing. “I’m sorry. I have to catch an earlier flight. Which means skipping out on breakfast.” As she spoke, she put her dress in the suitcase and zipped the bag closed. “I have the room until early afternoon, so you can stay and eat.”

      Damn. Not how he’d expected their time together to end. “I should head home myself.”

      She went to lift her case from the luggage stand, but he did it for her and set the bag by the door.

      “Thanks.” Sapphie slung her purse over her shoulder, put her briefcase on top of her suitcase, then checked her watch. “It’s been a lovely weekend. I hate to rush off, but you know how it goes.”

      “Yeah.” His tone was more reasonable than he felt, but he couldn’t match her smile. “Slow down.” He put his arm around her waist and pulled her to him. “Have a safe trip and a successful meeting. I’ll see you when you return to Jersey.”

      He went to kiss her, but she pecked him on the lips, then disentangled herself. Alarm bells started to ring.

      “I’m not sure when I’ll be back,” she said airily. “It all depends on what my client’s important news is and how it affects me. Certainly my plans over the next few weeks don’t involve anything here.”

      That definitely sounded like a brush-off. How was that possible after what they’d shared and done?

      Obviously, she hadn’t found the experience as special as he had. Embarrassment twisted his stomach.

      “Okay,” he said carefully. He felt like he was tiptoeing through a minefield.

      “I can let you know when I’m next around, if you’d like. We could grab a drink or have dinner.” She picked up her cell. “Do I have your contact details?”

      “Would you like them?” he said coolly.

      “Sure.”

      Her half shrug irritated him. He snapped out his cell number, like a soldier giving his serial number to an enemy interrogator.

      She tapped it into her phone, then looked up at him, frowning. “Is there a problem?”

      Scott tamped down his frustration. “I thought you enjoyed this weekend.”

      “I did. It was wonderful. You were unbelievable.”

      “Then why the brush-off?”

      “Uh, I’m not sure what you mean.” She looked confused. “I’m busy for the next month and will be traveling a lot. This is me. This is what I do. What did you expect?”

      “A little more enthusiasm for seeing me again.” Crap. He sounded like a whiny adolescent. “I thought we had something more than a roll in the hay.”

      Her eyes widened. “Trust me, you wouldn’t have lasted more than a few hours if it hadn’t been exceptional. I never allow men to stay the night, let alone a whole weekend.”

      He threw up his arms in frustration. He was clearly missing something. “Then what’s with the ‘so long and don’t let the door hit your backside on your way out’ attitude?”

      “Instead of what—a teary goodbye? We’re not ‘going steady.’”

      Her use of air quotes really chapped his ass. “No, but I didn’t expect to be treated like a gigolo either.”

      “I didn’t leave a tip on the bedside table.”

      “Good to know I’m a cheap date.” He took some bills out of his pocket and laid them on her case. “My share of the room-service tab.”

      “Don’t be ridiculous.” She gathered the money and held it out to him.

      He arched an eyebrow at her. “Just want to be sure you got your money’s worth.”

      Sapphie tossed the money on the bed and sighed. “I don’t know how this got out of hand,” she said quietly. “I didn’t mean to offend you by being honest about the future. I’m sorry if you thought otherwise, but at no point did I suggest this was anything more than a fun time shared by two consenting adults.”

      Her earnest apology made him feel like a petulant jerk.

      She continued, “Aside from the fact that I don’t have the working life to date anyone seriously, I’m not interested in a relationship or getting married. I don’t have to answer to anyone and I do as I please, without feeling guilty.”

      “I’m sorry, too. I didn’t mean to be a jackass. I don’t know why I’m ticked. I’m not looking for a steady relationship right now either.” He gave her a chagrined smile. “I told you I didn’t know the etiquette for sleeping with someone these days. I guess I expected...more than this.” He waved a hand to encompass the room.

      Sapphie touched his arm. “You’re a great guy and this was fabulous. But that doesn’t change a thing. I’d be happy to see you when I’m in town. But if you can’t go with the flow and