Nick had a feeling he’d just been insulted.

“I won’t ask who this Lance is. Just know this, Miss Granger—I don’t’ order women around, or force them to do anything they aren’t ready for.” He took a deep breath, and tried to make his voice sound less like he was growling at her. “Why don’t I get you home?”

“I ca get there all by myself.” Her voice sounded colder than the air in the room. “You can have my clothes sent to my cabin when they dry.”

Oh, yeah, she was pissed. He didn’t blame her; it was better this way. They could avoid each other until she left, and that would be the end of it.

Except for the fact that he had hurt her.

That she had found her way into his angry heart.

He stepped back, giving her plenty of room.

“I’ll see myself out.” Lexi stood next to the door, furious, and so beautiful, he wanted to wrap his arms around her and beg for her forgiveness. It was much too late for that.

“Not without a coat.” He grabbed one off the rack next to the door and handed it to her. “You can leave it at the office.”

She turned to the door, turned the knob, then let it go, sighing. “I’m sorry. I know you’re not Lance, but this just proves I’m far from ready for any kind of male to female contact.” She looked at him, and the pain in her eyes tore at him. “Have a good life, Nick Standish.”

The door closed behind her, leaving him with regret, and the need to see her again.

“Hell.” He ran one hand through his hair, and cursed again when his shoulder protested.

It was only for a week. He could avoid one slip of a woman for a week.

 

***

 

Lexi walked through the drizzle, so angry at herself she could barely see the path in front of her.

What the hell was she thinking? She’d come here to get away from men, not have sex with a near stranger on his kitchen counter.

“Stupid,” she muttered, kicking at a rock. “How could you be so stupid?”

“Lexi?” A familiar voice stopped her. She looked over and saw Candy rushing over to her—or trying to. Heels and an uneven path didn’t work well together. “You look like—ooooh, you had sex.”

“I did not.” She didn’t even have to lie.

“I know that look.” She wagged her finger in Lexi’s face. “I hope he was satisfying. You needed a good shag.”

“Candy.” Lexi wanted to shut her up, before a male camper walked by and got ideas. “I did not—oh.” Her mind started doing what she never thought it would do again; it started plotting. “I have to go.”

“Wait—did you learn anything about the camp thief?”

“Just that they’re more prolific than we both thought. Like I told you before, security is going to look into it.”

“Not you, the great mystery romance author?”

“I might do some investigating on my own, just to see what I can find. But I’m also here to write. Which I’m going to do now. I’ll see you around, Candy.”

Lexi kept moving, hoping that the woman would take the hint. She let out a sigh of relief when she reached her cabin with no proposals, propositions, or unwanted admirers. Thankfully, most of the campers had retired for the night.

Her mind was humming now, her fingers itching for her keyboard.

She grabbed her laptop, opened it on the small desk, and tapped her fingers, waiting for it to boot up. Finally, she opened a new doc and started typing. Her fingers flew, the thoughts pouring out of her too fast for her to keep up.

When she looked at the time on her laptop, it was close to midnight, and she was spent.

She sat back, staring at the word count. She had just pounded out more than five thousand words.

“I’m back,” she whispered. With a whoop, she jumped out of her chair and danced around the cabin. “The girl is back!”

She stopped long enough to pull on her shoes, glancing out the window. The rain had stopped, and she wanted to breath in the cool, fresh night air. She still wore the borrowed hoodie and sweats; they would do against the chill. Part of her had wanted to feel them against her skin, catch the scent of Nick on them.

Shaking her head, she vowed to take them off and return them to the office first thing in the morning.

She stepped outside, and took her first deep breath. It felt invigorating. The air smelled so clean, with a hint of the trees that surrounded the camp She stepped off the porch and moved into the open, looking up at the stars the peeked through gaps in the clouds. It might even clear up by morning, and she could leave.

It would be easier for her if she never saw Nick again. It wouldn’t stop her from thinking about him, but she would get over him faster if she wasn’t in walking distance. Touching distance.

How the hell did he find his way into her heart?

That didn’t matter now. What did matter was finding a way to move past what had happened between them.

When she heard footsteps, she started to turn around, expecting to see Candy rushing toward her.

Any words died in her throat when she faced a tall, hooded figure.

She stumbled backward, and let out a cry.

The figure moved, fast, covering her mouth with one gloved hand. “I told you to leave. You won’t get another warning after this.”

She almost fell when the figure let her go—and saw the blur of movement before the fist slammed into her cheek.