Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 97151 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 486(@200wpm)___ 389(@250wpm)___ 324(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97151 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 486(@200wpm)___ 389(@250wpm)___ 324(@300wpm)
“I should get going,” she says.
“You don’t have to leave,” I say. It’s Sunday, so I don’t have any actual work to do. My only plans were to catch up with emails and go to the gym.
“Remember. I don’t want to find anyone charming for a year.”
I’m not sure I can wait that long.
“Oh yes. You’re on a year’s hiatus from charming. Didn’t seem like that last night.”
“What we did last night wasn’t even adjacent to charming.”
Right, but do you want to do it again?
“So you’re saying that after getting to know me, you still don’t find me charming?” I ask. “I’m not sure I’m buying that. I think if we spent a week together, you’d leave charming at the gate and be hopelessly in love with me.”
She laughs, and it’s so warm and sexy, I want to dive right into her and never come up for air.
“Well, I’m afraid you can’t keep me prisoner for a week. I have things to do.” She pauses for a minute, and I think she’s just about to open up and tell me what she’s got going on, but she shakes her head. “Can you get me one of your white dress shirts, and a pair of navy boxers if you have them? And then it would be great if your driver could take me home.”
I don’t want her to leave.
What the hell is the matter with me?
“And you’re sure you don’t want to stay and fall in love with me?”
She gives a small nod. “Positive.”
I sigh dramatically, slide my coffee back onto the nightstand, and pad into my dressing room. I pull out a shirt and pair of boxers. “As requested,” I say. “I’m going to head to the shower. There’s another bathroom through there, or you could join me.”
She bites back a smile. “Thanks. I’ll leave you to shower on your own.”
When I’ve finished showering, I head back into the bedroom, a towel around my waist, to find Avril still here, her hair wet, standing in my shirt, the sleeves rolled up and she’s tied the front together. She’s wearing my boxers on the bottom. I have no idea how they’re staying up. And she has her heels from last night on.
She’s the sexiest woman I’ve ever seen.
“You look good.”
She looks at me like I’ve lost my mind. “I look ridiculous.” She shrugs. “But it was worth it.”
“Huh?” I say, cupping my ear like I can’t hear her. “What did you say? That you had the time of your life last night.”
She shakes her head, trying to cover up a smile, and she strides past me, pushing me with her palm flat against my chest. “I’m out of here.”
I grab her wrist before she can walk past me. “My driver’s downstairs in the basement car park. Let me show you.”
I grab some joggers and pull them on and follow her out into the hallway. I take my keys from the bowl and the lift is waiting.
She glances at me, her bravado dimming slightly.
“This is a private elevator,” I reassure her. “No one’s going to see you. But if they did, they’d think you had style for days.”
She tilts her head.
“I was going to ask for your number,” I say, as we ride down to the basement.
“But you won’t because you know I’ll say no.”
“Do I know that?” I ask. Last night was bloody spectacular. Why wouldn’t she say yes to a replay?
“You do,” she says. “Remember, I know guys like you.”
“Maybe you don’t know guys like me. Maybe I’m the guy who will make you fall in love with him if you gave him a week.”
“Maybe that’s why I’m saying no.”
The lift doors slide open into the basement. My driver’s waiting, the headlights lighting us both like we’re on a stage.
“Thank you.” She lifts her chin toward the car. “For the ride.”
I grin. “Thank you for the ride.”
She rolls her eyes, and I move to follow her out of the lift car, but she puts her hand on my chest to stop me. “I’m good from here.”
She shuts me down at every turn.
I keep the lift door open as I watch her climb into the car. My driver reverses and I can’t see her through the tinted glass, but I wait until the car has driven off anyway.
She thinks this is the last time we’ll ever see each other.
It won’t be.
As far as I’m concerned, Avril Huntington and I are unfinished business.
FIVE
Avril
As I arrive at Hotel on Ninth Street on Monday morning, I can still feel Ben. His fingers on my hips. His tongue on my skin. I can still taste him. Every time I blink, I see him bare chested, his hands thrust into his pockets as he watches me leave in his car.
It was certainly unlike any other night I’ve ever had. I laugh to myself as I think about him making omelets for us. Any other guy would have just skipped straight to the good part. Not Ben.