Chapter One #2
Did I form the word?
Maybe a few of those meaningless fucks could’ve stopped me from looking like an idiot who’s never seen a naked man before. Because that’s what is happening right now.
“You’re in my room.” It’s all I can manage.
Then I notice my fingertips digging into his skin and jerk them back as far as he allows me while still clutching my waist and holding me firm against him.
“You’re in my room.” His voice is consuming.
Like one of Tess’s mafia audiobooks, where the narrator makes a reader ache in all the right places.
Lord knows, I’m aching.
“The hostesses were very clear on which room is mine.” The squeak in my voice makes me cringe. “Second door on the right.”
His eyebrow shoots up. “They told me the exact same thing. Funny coincidence, isn’t it?” His tone shifts, sharp and almost accusing. “That we are both standing here, in the ‘right’ room? Or maybe it’s just fate.” He tilts his head, watching me.
The funny part is that he spouts the same nonsense about fate and destiny as the hostess, but his tone drips with mockery.
“I don’t know about fate.” I’m glad my voice doesn’t crack. “They told me which room was mine, I followed directions, and here I am.” I try to straighten, but he’s still holding me.
“Directions, huh?” Is he hard of hearing? “That’s funny.” I doubt it is funny. “Because it appears you chose this room.”
“I did not choose this room.”
“Uh-huh.”
Did his fingers tighten at my hip?
“You just happened to know which door led to my room?” Every word is edged with warning.
“I didn’t know which room was yours.”
I don’t even know who this man is.
“Sure.”
I blink, trying to decipher what he just said.
“Sure?” My word is just as challenging.
“Sure.”
I press my lips together as the accusation really sinks in. “Are you implying that I did know this was your room?”
“I thought that was clear. No hard feelings, but this isn’t happening.”
“No hard feelings?” A scoff finishes my sentence. “Whatever you think was going to happen was never going to happen.”
“Listen, I’m flattered—”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa. I’m not here to—to—”
“Sleep with me?”
“Exactly.”
“Don’t worry. What happens in Cash’s Cave stays in Cash’s Cave.”
I raise my eyebrows, speechless for a moment. And I’m pretty sure my mouth just hit the floor.
“Did you just name your bedroom a cave? And include your name in the title?”
“Catchy, isn’t it?”
I burst into laughter.
Blame my eleven-hour car drive or the fact that I’m still pressed against this man’s incredible specimen of a body. Or all of the above. Because the laughter pours out of me.
“I don’t even know who you are.”
“Noted.” He winks at me.
“Don’t wink at me.”
“Well... I know who you are.” Tess’s voice slashes my thoughts. “I would recognize that voice anywhere. But this view is new and makes me understand why women might happen to know exactly which room is yours and ‘accidentally’ bump into you naked.”
“It was an accident,” I say.
“Sure it was.” He winks again.
“Wink at me one more time.” Each word comes out as heated anger pours through me.
He smirks.
I breathe through my nostrils until the burn.
“You know, for someone claiming not to want to sleep with me, you’re awfully persistent on not letting me go.”
His face shifts, like he’s debating whether or not to let me go.
He releases me.
My body feels lighter without him, and I stumble a bit.
He steps back. Naked. With no remorse or shame, or rush to hide his package, just hanging against his leg.
My eyes go down there. Then snap back up to his face.
I’m sure I’ve flushed.
“That’s what’s behind the apron,” Tess says.
My eyes land on the floor between us, where her face is pressed as close to the screen as humanly possible.
“You can leave my room.” I bend down and swipe the phone.
Tess frowns at me, and when I look back at him, he’s finally wrapping a towel around his waist.
“You can drop the charade.” He fastens the towel while his eyes narrow slightly, watching me like he’s measuring my next move.
“It’s not a facade.”
“All the ladies are upstairs, where I’m sure you’ll find your room.”
“I’m not leaving.” I fold my arms over my front.
I feel my jaw tighten.
Tess clears her throat. “Shay, you should leave. You should definitely leave.”
“I’m not leaving.” I straighten, refusing to back down.
“What’s the plan here?” He folds his arms, and I can’t get over how massive his biceps are.
It doesn’t matter how tall I stand at this point; it’s nothing compared to him.
“Like, what did you plan to happen next?”
I silently gasp—I think it’s silent. “Are you calling me a schemer? Like I’m plotting a full-blown heist?”
“Schemer?” His chuckle is slow and bitter. “I wouldn’t say schemer.”
“Oh, wouldn’t you?”
His cold and unyielding gaze pins me in place. “Opportunist. Intruder.”
“Shay?” Tess presses.
I ignore her. “I’m none of those things. I’m a guest. I don’t have some whacked hidden agenda you seem to think I do.”
“Hidden agenda?” He shifts from one leg to the other.
This time, I make a point of not noticing how the curve of his upper arms sharpens as he pulls them tighter. And I’m definitely not adding it to my clit closet.
“I think you do. I see this all the time. Women who think they can just come in here and I’m a man, so I’m automatically going to want to fuck you.”
His words blow me away.
“Wow. Wow. Wow.” Words aren’t coming to me. “Get over yourself.”
“Shay?” Tess is using her warning voice, but I’m past listening.
“I’m going to go sort this out with the hostesses so take this time to prepare to give me an apology.”
“Shay,” Tess hisses.
I turn on my heel and storm to the door.
“I won’t hold this against you when we meet again,” he says.
“I will be holding it against you,” I snap over my shoulder.
“I promise never to mention it.”
I scoff. “You’re an asshole, you know that, right?” I grab my purse. “An arrogant”—damn good looking—“asshole.”
“Do you want a hand with your luggage?” He reaches for my bag, and I slap his hand.
“Holy shit, you slapped Cash Can Cook.” Tess’s voice trembles. “I’m going to add that to my CC.”
At least she knows when and when not to announce her clit closet.
“My bags are not going anywhere. I am in the right room.”
Cash Can Cook?
Why does that sound familiar?
I don’t care.
I whip open the door and slam into another body.