Memory Lapse: A Slater Vance Novel (32 page)

She looked up in
surprise. “Oh. Okay. Goodnight.”

Slater stepped into his
shower and let the water beat down on his sore body. The heat soothed his
aching muscles. He leaned his forearm on the tile under the showerhead and laid
his head there. God, he was tired. His eyes flew open when he heard the door to
the shower open and a cool blast of air entered the stall.

He turned to find Ellis
standing inside the stall, in all her glorious nakedness this time. He lifted a
questioning brow at her. Without a word, she confidently moved to him and slid
her hands up his shoulders to encircle his neck and lifted her face to his. He
hesitated only briefly before leaning in to the kiss. Haltingly, he drew his
arms around her too-thin body and drew her close. Her skin was smooth and slick
from the spray of water. He lowered his hands to grip her bottom and press her
more intimately against him.

Pulling back, he
whispered, “Ellis, I can’t….”

She began to shake her
head. “Please don’t say anything… please don’t say no.”

He lifted his hands to
her face and kissed her lips softly. “I’m not saying no. I’m saying I can’t do
this in the shower because of my shoulder.”

She turned, grabbed his
hand, and exited the shower quickly. He stopped long enough to shut the water
off.

He met her at the bed’s
edge and captured her face within his hands. He looked into her eyes, and the
trust he saw there scared him a little. He slowly lowered his lips to touch
hers softly. As he deepened the kiss, he lowered her to the bed and followed
her down to lie beside her, ever mindful of his shoulder. He swept his hand
down her body and she trembled against him. He closed his eyes and he moved
down her body, worshiping her, inhaling deeply he brought in her scent. She
made him think of possibilities. He had not thought of possibilities in a long
time. Not since Anne. His breath caught at the sounds of her moans. Oh yes,
possibilities.

◊◊◊

The sun was streaming
through the windows when Slater woke. He turned his head and was surprised to
find he was alone. God, she’d been so passionate and sweet. He didn’t know if
he’d ever get enough of her. He wondered where she’d gotten off to. Maybe Petra
had awakened. Rising slowly from the bed, Slater rolled his sore shoulder
muscles. It was then he saw the note on his dresser. Rising slowly, he picked
it up and sat back on the bed to read it.

Dear Slater, Thanks for helping me to find myself – as they
say. But in my case, it’s true. You are a very special man and I appreciate all
you’ve done for me and Pet. But I can’t stay here. I have to try and build a
life for us. I hope one day we will meet again under better circumstances. You
are truly a remarkable man and I’m better for having known you. Don’t worry
about us. We’re used to being on our own. I’ll call when we get situated.
Please tell Tucker thanks for everything.
Your Honey
Luscious.

Well damn
, he thought. He rubbed a hand over his face. It surprised him how much
it bothered him that she’d gone. He thought about the night before and the
thoughts of possibilities. Flashes of her skin and remnants of her sighs filled
his head; the silkiness of her hair between his fingers and the heated words of
want and desire. He didn’t want to let it go.

Slipping out of the bed,
more weary than warranted from his injuries, he slipped on his sweats and a
T-shirt, and headed to the kitchen for coffee. He halted at the sight of Ellis
standing at the sliding glass doors.

Softly, he said, “Ellis?”

She spun in surprise.
With nervous hands, she pleated the cotton belt at her waist. She lowered her
head as if mesmerized by the actions of her fingers.

Trying to understand what
was happening, he asked again, “Ellis?”

Swallowing hard, she
whispered, “I couldn’t do it. I knew I should leave for your sake, but I
couldn’t leave. I’m sorry. I don’t know how to let you go.”

Moving to her quickly, he
drew her trembling body against his own and tipped her face to his. Staring
down into the unshed tears in her eyes, he whispered back, “Good.”

Slowly he lowered his
lips to meet hers.

THE END

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

LR
Potter, a central Florida native, currently resides close to the sandy beaches
of
Perdido
Key in the northern part of Florida with
her husband and family. Potter loves losing herself in the magic of a good book
while listening to the sounds of the surf, and hopes whoever reads her books
finds the same escape. Being a lover of all literature, she writes over several
genres.

Other Books by LR Potter:

The
Hourglass Killer Trilogy:

Dwindling
Sands

Shifting
Sands

Cascading
Sands

The
Hourglass Killer Trilogy – All three books together

The
Color of Snow Series (Paranormal)

Snow
Blind

Snow
Flurry

Memory
Lapse – A Slater Vance Novel

Upcoming
Books:

Fangs
for Hire (Paranormal)

Entitled:
A Slater Vance Novel

Three
of a Kind – Lucky Strike