Planning Bliss (Bliss Series Book 1)

The Ex

The Ex

I was going out of my mind. I was glued to the spot where Levi had left me, unable to move even as my mind told me to go, run after him, and tell him... Tell him what? What could I say that would change his mind? And if I did want him to change it, why? For what very reason?

Levi was right to think that he was wrong about me. I judged him, and judged him poorly. My insides churned as I thought of how badly I treated him, not just tonight, but all those times when I had been with Jake.

Lost in my own thoughts, a quiet knock on the door startled me. Could it be? Had he come back to hear me out after all? Perhaps this time I could tell him that I did indeed see the caring, thoughtful, intelligent man within. I stepped forward to open the door. My heart pounded and reminded me what I truly felt for him. Perhaps, this time I could tell him how I had fallen...

I turned the knob and sucked in the air in my lungs when I opened the door.

Jake stood with his hands in his pockets, looking all sorts of tired and weary. How long had it been since Levi left? Had Jake seen him?

"Are you gonna ask me in?" Jake asked shyly.

"Oh, yeah, of course." I moved aside to let him pass through. I craned my neck around to see if there were any shadows lurking in the hallway, hoping that maybe Levi would turn up again. But there was nothing but silence and semidarkness. Feeling desolate and dejected, I closed the door and turned to face Jake.

He chose to sit on the bed, shoulders rolled forward, looking beaten inside and out. I hesitantly moved towards him. When he tilted his head up, I could see that he hadn't even cleaned his wounds.

"Jake, your face." I placed a hand under his chin and moved his head from side to side, taking in the broken features of a broken man.

He let out a little chuckle. "You should have seen the other guy."

I raised an eyebrow. "Really? That's what you're going for?"

His lopsided smile disappeared, and he lowered his eyes. "Sorry, Nica."

"We'd better clean it up before it gets infected." I didn't wait for his answer. I walked to the closet to take out the mini first aid kit I carried around with me.

I gasped as I opened the closet door. The scent of a man hit me with full force. A mixture of sandalwood, musk and bergamot evoked feelings and conjured up memories. Levi's shirt was hanging in the closet. And his overnight bag was sitting underneath it on the floor. All I wanted to do at that moment was to take that shirt and press it on my skin. I inhaled and choked out a sob.

Blinking away tears that were threatening to fall, I breathed a sigh as I unzipped my luggage to take out my kit. But even as I closed the closet door, Levi's scent had infused into me. I had to clear my head. Jake was in the room, needing my help. I needed to focus. I turned to the bathroom to get Jake a wet towel.

The scent in the bathroom almost did me in. I was teetering precariously on the edge of crazytown. The scent of lavender and vanilla hung in the air, reminding me that Levi had been sweet and thoughtful enough to run me a bath earlier that day. I wished I had pulled him in with me. I wished I hadn't gone to that dinner. I wished. I wished...

When I returned from the bathroom, Jake had flopped down on the bed. The lights of the city coming through the window illuminated his face. His arm was propped over his forehead as he stared out into Paris at night.

Sensing my reappearance, he turned his head. "Beautiful view." I was sure he meant the city, but my stomach flipped by what those words could have meant, coupled by that agonizingly sexy look on his face.