4. Coral
Coral
I woke up just as the sun started to peek through and blinked. My head didn’t hurt. It was clear I wasn’t hungover, but as I shifted, I realized my body was sore.
Really sore.
I blinked, and my breath caught in the middle of my throat. The night before tumbled back like a Mack truck. I hadn’t been drunk, not even close. I’d known what I was doing with my sexy handsome stranger.
I’d had my first one-night stand!
A body shifted behind me, and as carefully as I could manage, I glanced over my shoulder. My eyes caught a beautiful, slightly familiar muscular back. Shit. I’d had my first one-night stand and had already fucked up by not sneaking out earlier. I had to get out of there. Isn’t that the etiquette to these things?
He rolled onto his back, his arm over his eyes. Thankfully, or unfortunately, I wasn’t sure which one, he kept on sleeping soundly. I took a moment and ate up the sight of his beautiful muscular body. The dark, overgrown hair and the way it curled against his gray pillowcase. I wanted nothing more than to sneak back into his arms and soak in the way it felt when he held me. Touched me. Maybe go for another round or three. Who was I? I had never been a sex fiend, but there was something about my handsome stranger that had woken something up inside me.
Touch him. Get between his legs and wake him up with your mouth, a little voice suggested in my head, but I couldn’t.
I needed to get out of there and fast. He had saved me and brought me back to his place for a one-night romp. It’s probably why we never exchanged names. And even though he talked about taking me again in the future, it was more than likely all talk. Something nice he said but didn’t really mean.
I sat up and winced.
God, he had been a beast in bed. Insatiable. Not that I was complaining; I’d more than enjoyed our time together. Tempted to get back in bed, I forced myself to look for something to wear. I had no idea where my dress ended up. My purse was on the floor by the door. I got up and turned, but he didn’t wake. I grabbed a plain black hoodie off the ground and brought it to my nose. It smelled like him. Clean and masculine. Strong.
I willed myself not to sigh like some kind of schoolgirl with a crush before I pulled it over my naked body. I needed bottoms even though the sweater covered all my bits. I opened a drawer only to find neatly folded shirts. I opened another and hit the jackpot. Joggers and gym shorts. I grabbed a pair of navy-blue joggers and slid them on. I would return them. Mail them back with a huge fruit basket because he had earned some kind of thank-you gift for rocking my world the way he did. I felt like a whole new woman this morning!
Who am I kidding? I am going to keep the hoodie!
I stepped out of the bedroom and quietly made my way down to the front door. I grabbed my purse but couldn’t find my shoes. I saw a pair of flip flops that would be way too big but would help protect my feet from the elements. I slipped them on and opened the front door. I fully expected a security alarm to go off, giving away the fact I was running off like a bandit in the early morning, but nothing sounded. I couldn’t ignore the disappointment I felt as I shut the door behind me and started to make my way down his long driveway. I glanced behind me just as I took my phone out of my purse to call the one and only sister who would be up at this ungodly hour.
“What are you doing up?” Olive asked.
“I need a favor.” I winced. I had a feeling this favor was going to cost me.
“Shit. What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, umm…” I looked at the cabin and thought about the man inside one more time before forcing myself to walk towards the main road. “I kinda need a ride.”
“A ride? From your place? What’s wrong? Something wrong with that fancy car of yours?”
“No, nothing like that. I’m not at my place. I’m…” Shit! How did I explain this to my little sister? “You know that big cabin off to the side of the lake, kinda by the resort? The one I love?”
“The huge one?” she asked.
“Yeah, that one.” I licked my lips. “Well, I, umm…”
“Wait! Hold the phone!” My sister spoke too loudly on the phone, so much I had to pull it away from my ear. “Is my big sister doing the walk of shame?” she asked, hitting the nail on the head on her first guess.
“No!” I clipped. “Because I’m not ashamed of anything I did.” I was honest about it. “My car’s at the bar. So, if you could get me and drop me off there? I’m walking towards the resort.” I sighed, and she whistled.
“Holy crap! Not ashamed of anything you did!” She laughed, and damn if it wasn’t contagious. “Does this mean… my older sister finally had her very first one-night stand?” she asked as she faked sniffling. “I don’t think I have ever been so proud!”
“I should have called Raven,” I mumbled, but Oli wasn’t insulted in the least. Instead, she laughed wholeheartedly.
“Relax, don’t get your panties in a twist. I mean, if you even have those left.” She was trying to embarrass me. But I wasn’t that easy. As the oldest, you learned to stand your ground early on.
“I don’t. He ripped them right off me with his bare hands.”
“What?” she gasped.
“On the middle of the stairs.” I gave her the juicy details and knew she’d be dying to hear more.
“I’ll be right there. Just getting in my car now!” I blushed.
Shit! Oli was going to want all sorts of details! Even though she was younger, she had a lot more experience with random hookups than I did. I would never hear the end of it. I tilted my face into the hoodie, and his scent flooded my senses. I shrugged. It would be worth whatever crap Oli wanted to shove my way.
With my head held up high, I smiled as I walked and stopped when I saw my little sister’s familiar white older model Jeep Wrangler.
“Shame, shame! I know your name,” she teased as she put her car in Park and unlocked the passenger door for me. I rolled my eyes playfully, unable to wipe the grin off my face as I got in.
Before I could turn to tell her good morning and ask how her workday was since she worked nights, she squealed loudly!
“What the hell, Oli?!” I jumped, but she didn’t seem fazed. Olive pulled on the neckline of the sweater. “What?” I asked.
“Is that… Ohmygod! Is that a HICKEY!” She laughed, and I pulled back, giggling myself silly. I was blushing and didn’t care. If anything, I was excited to see what other little love marks he had left behind. Anything to cling to the memory of the best night of my life. The only drawback was I had a feeling my little tryst might have ruined me for any other man.
“Shut up and drive. My car’s at the bar. I have to go into the office today,” I muttered, angry at myself for not getting his name or number. I mean, I knew where he lived, but how creepy would that be if I just showed up at his door to see if he wanted a two-night stand? Were those a thing?
“Yeah, see, that’s not going to work. I’m sorry, but I’m not going anywhere unless you promise to tell me everything.”
“I promise. But can we keep it between us?” I requested, and my crazy, wild little sister pretended to zip her lips together and toss the key out the window.
That was all I needed before I told her everything. Mostly. I kept the fact that every mile we drove away from his cabin felt wrong. Knowing Oli, she would tell me I was getting attached, and that was a huge mistake when it came to one-night stands.
No matter if I saw my sexy and dangerous mystery guy again, I knew there wouldn’t be a day from here on out that I wouldn’t think about him.