“And when did he show up . . . the day after?”
Hector hesitated over the line. “This happened a long time ago, of course, when he was still living in New York and working at Bellevue. But after such a party, he showed up after three days, Ms. So I wouldn’t worry about him if I were you. He has a way of taking care of himself.”
“I’d hate to leave without saying goodbye to him.”
That went without saying. She was worried about Rust. Worried about the way they had left it – with his bite and claw marks on her body and him feeling guilty about it. They needed to talk about it. Process what had happened. She needed to assure him she was all right about the whole thing, and she knew that it was only a temporary lapse.
“I’m sure it isn’t goodbye, Ms. Penney. You’ll be seeing him soon.”
She hoped.
Still, when she went downstairs to the reception, Hector was waiting for her. But there was no sign of Rust.
Hector saw her despondent face.
“We can try calling him again,” he offered.
“No.” She had to shake herself out of this. Stop waiting by the phone like a lovesick puppy. Hell, she was a lovesick puppy where Rust was concerned, but she didn’t have to act it! She raised her chin. “We should go to the airport.”
*
At the airport, Hector helped her check into first class. “He will call you, Ms. Penney. I’ll remind him next time I see him.”
“Thanks, Hector.” Any boyfriend who needed reminding wasn’t a real boyfriend. And her spirits had already sunk to an all time low.
She shook hands with Hector, and turned to walk through the Departure Gates.
“Kate!”
She swiveled, her heart leaping. It was Rust’s voice!
He came bounding up. His hair was wild, and he had a T-shirt on with a pair of jeans.
“Rust?” She dropped her bag.
“Kate.” As he reached her, people all around them turned. Rust was always quite a breathtaking sight himself, and the cliché of the situation was not lost on her. There was concern in his marvelous green eyes. “Are you . . . all right?”
“Yes. Rust . . . I was so worried.”
“You were worried.” Relief flooded his voice. “I was worried about what I did to you.” He put a hand on her shoulder. “Do you have time? Can we talk?”
She was early anyway, and so she nodded.
They moved aside to a seating area.
“Kate, I have something to tell you.” His expression was very serious. A cold dread clasped her chest. No, no, don’t let him tell me what I think he’s going to tell me.
But he did. He was going to tell her the very thing she feared.
He said, “I can’t do this anymore. I can’t be with you.”
The dagger to her heart was as sharp as a lance. She knew it was coming, and yet when it did come, the actual pain of it took her by shock.
“No,” she whispered, “don’t say that.”
“Please . . . listen to me. I . . . like you.” He tumbled over the word ‘like’. “I like being with you. We have great sex together, and when we’re not having sex, I like being with you too.”
He paused awkwardly. She could sense that he was not used to saying such things to anyone.
He went on, “But I’m not human. I’ll only hurt you, and I won’t be able to stop myself from hurting you. I’m . . . not who you think I am. And to keep you safe . . . I have to stay away from you.”
“No.” The tears were forming in her eyes now. She knew what he was referring to. I can’t control the animal side of me from manifesting, he was saying. “Rust, I want to be with you. It doesn’t have to be this way. It wasn’t you. It was that place! You said it yourself . . . it magnifies everything.”
“It’s not just Aaron Mitchell’s house. It’s me.” He looked at her desperately. “It’s happening to me more and more lately when I’m around you. I can’t control myself, and I don’t mean my sexual urges. It’s not safe for you to be around me, Kate. You’d best stay as far as you can away from me and find someone nice . . . and normal. Someone you deserve to be with.”
“Rust, no, please . . . don’t do this.” The wetness trickled down her cheeks.
“Kate, don’t cry.” He wiped a tear gently away from her cheek. “You know what I’m saying is absolutely right. I’m bad for you. And in many ways, you’re bad for me too.”
Yes, she had cost him his job.
“So we’re psychoanalyzing each other.” A sob choked her throat. Her heart felt like it had splintered into a million pieces.