One Night Stand

Chapter 9

Klara

I was slow to wake up. I felt so warm and comfortable that I didn't want to move. Even when my mind became conscious, I only sighed and hugged tightly at the soft thing in my arms. Then, I remembered last night and frowned.

My eyes blinked open, to be met with the hotel's pristine white pillow. Only, when I moved, there was a suspicious stain on it. I pulled back and rubbed at my chin, sighing when I realized I'd drooled.

Well, that is embarrassing.

"Jake?" I called out.

I realized I couldn't see him, and rolled around, but he wasn't behind me on the bed.

Could he be in the shower?

I listened but couldn't hear him there. So he was probably in the other room.

With another sigh, I slipped out of bed. I was a little disappointed not to wake up with him beside him, but by the light coming into the room, it was likely no longer early in the morning. I headed for the bathroom, unconscious of my naked body. I felt an ache in my hips and between my thighs. When I looked down, I could see some marks that Jake had left on me, and couldn't help but blush.

In the bathroom, I got to see even more through the mirror, around my neck. Damn, it was so hot, and I'd have to walk around with a scarf to cover them all.

This is too much.

Even as I complained in my mind, though, I was smiling on the outside.

I went into the shower, ignoring the heat in my face as I stood to the side then turned on the taps, and waited for the water to warm up. I had a quick shower, then left the bathroom with a towel wrapped around my body, and another around my hair.

"Jake?" I called again. "Are you there?"

He hadn't come into the bedroom, but surely he could have heard the shower from that side, right? I frowned, only then starting to feel a little worried. I went to open the door and looked outside. Even the front room was empty. Well, not empty, because I saw some very familiar looking luggage, and I wondered when that got here.

With a frown, I closed the door and turned around, and only then did I notice my things arranged so neatly on the bottom edge of the bed, and there was something on the nightstand. I went over curiously, one hand wiping at my hair, and noticed it was the room's keycard, and a slip of paper beneath it, a note.

The realization dawned on me, and I figured out what happened before I even read the note.

Jake was already gone.

Slowly, I set the note down and calmly continued drying out my hair.

I surprised myself a little, but I didn't mind that he'd left without letting me know. I felt great. Hell, he at least bothered to leave me a note to explain, and I loved it. It was my first ever one night stand, and I'd had the best time yesterday, so there were no complaints from me.

In any case, it was better not to get attached.

"Still, I wish I got to see him one last time," I murmured.

I certainly wouldn't forget him so quickly. The warm water had helped take care of some of the soreness in my body, but I could still feel what was left over from last night. It made me blush and giggle to myself.

No one at home would believe this. Not that I had any plans of telling them, but with both the guys I dated, I was too shy to hold hands or even kiss in the first few weeks of the relationships, and here I was spending time and sleeping with a guy I didn't know that well at all.

He'd told me I could stay in the hotel, too, and in his suite. According to the note, I could stay in the room until tomorrow morning. It sounded appealing, but I didn't think I'd be taking him up on the offer.

I had been gone for several days, and in that time, I didn't dare to leave my phone on. I didn't want to have any contact with anyone while I was off doing my own thing. I was sick on top of disappearing, so everyone had to be worried sick already, so it was time to head back home and face them and my problems.

Running away wouldn't solve my problem, after all.

Oh...wait.

I just remembered, there was still the money issue to deal with. I had to find a way to get some cash quickly. I could figure that much out online. I went to the living room, still only wrapped in towels, and went through my things until I found my mini laptop. The hotel had Wi-Fi, so connecting to the internet wasn't a problem, then I went around checking the issue with my bank.

It was resolved quickly. It wasn't much, I couldn't afford a flight, but a bus ride was possible, and I wouldn't have to bother anyone with money. Smiling, I turned it off, put it back with my things, then sat down on the bed. I was dry already, so I picked out a change of clothes and got into them, then pulled on my flats. Once I was ready, I fixed up my luggage again.

I had time to stay in the room, and I wouldn't have minded, but now that I was thinking of it, I wanted to go home.

Mom and Dad would want an explanation.

It wasn't my intention to make them worried. And it wasn't like I didn't want to turn my phone on at any one point to tell them I was fine. I just didn't carry a charger for my phone, so it had gone off a while ago already. Besides, if I'd had it on, I would have been tempted to look for something to read online and might have given up my plan.

My only ever chance to be wild, there was a lot I wanted to read before it was too late, but this was something I'd wanted more.

Besides, I'd missed my family.

I picked up Jake's note and the room card, then pulled out my own from my purse so I wouldn't forget to hand them over at the reception desk. I looked over Jake's note one last time, then stuffed it in my purse and picked up my luggage to leave the room.

Just like you, Jake, I have to go back home and be a woman.

Delaying wasn't going to help anyone, and I could feel my heart drop as I closed the door behind me, leaving it, and my memories in it and with the man I met there, behind.