One Week Girlfriend part 1

of my memories.” He tugs on my hair and I lift my head, meeting his gaze. “It worked.”
    I smile lazily, suddenly overcome with exhaustion. “Really?”
    “Yeah.” He squeezes my butt with his other hand. “I need to get up for a minute. Where’s your bathroom?”
    I tell him and watch as he climbs off the bed, his naked body so beautiful, my chest aches. He goes to the bathroom, disposes the condom and is slipping back into my bed within seconds. I pull the covers over us and rest my head on his shoulder, my arm slung across his stomach. “You’re staying?”
    “Yeah.”
    He doesn’t say anything else and neither do I. I can’t. I’m so tired, and it feels so good to fall asleep in Drew’s arms. So right. I sleep like the dead, like I did last night when I was also in his arms.
    Drew Callahan is as addicting as any sleeping pill.
    When I wake up in the morning…
    He’s gone.

 
     
    Chapter Seventeen
     
     
    A new week, a new life
     
    Fable
     
    Dear Fable,
    My worst enemy is behind me because of you.
    And there’s still a lot left for me to explain.
    Right now, all I can think about is you.
    So many things in my life confuse me and…
    Hurt me—except you.
    Maybe we can be together again someday.
    All I really want is you, but I can’t do this now.
    Losing you will be the hardest thing I’ve dealt with yet.
    Loving you might be a mistake. Drawing you into my world will
    Only hurt you. And I refuse to do that.
    Will you ever forgive me?
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    I love you.
    Drew
     
    * * * *
     
    My tears fall like raindrops on the letter Drew wrote me, smudging his hastily written words, and I swipe angrily at my cheeks, wiping the tears away. I study the note, trying to make sense of it all. Why would he leave me? Why would he…
    And then I slowly read the letter again. My heart’s racing as I skim the slightly jumbled sentences he wrote just for me, the first letter of each one jumping out at me. I trace every first letter with the tip of my index finger, saying them out loud.
    “M-A-R-S-H-M-A-L-L-O-W.”
    My heart threatens to burst and I clutch the note to my chest. His secret message fills me with so much hope and love, I start to cry all over again. But these tears, they aren’t sad. Drew’s pushing me away, yet he wants me to rescue him. His letter proves that. But how can I if he won’t really let me?
    Determination fills me as I carefully fold the piece of paper I found on my bedside table earlier. I open my top dresser drawer, sticking the letter beneath a folded pile of underwear before I slowly hide it away.
    Wiping at the corners of my eyes, I stare at my reflection in the mirror. I look different. Older, more mature. Less defiant, less…unhappy. Despite the fact that the man I’ve fallen desperately in love with has left me with a stupid, beautifully heartbreaking note and I’ve already cried enough tears to fill the kitchen sink, I am happy.
    Because I know Andrew D. Callahan loves me.

 
     
    Drew and Fable’s story isn’t over yet…look for
Second Chance Boyfriend
, available now!

 
     
    Acknowledgments
     
     
    To my wondrous critique partner E. who loved the original letter Drew wrote to Fable (and someday, I might just share that sweetly romantic letter) but came up with an even better idea. You save my ass more times than I can count and for that, I will forever be indebted to you. To my husband and kids for putting up with me when I sit at the computer all the live long day. And to all the readers out there who took a chance on my little story about a damaged boy and a damaged girl: thank you.