Page 28

Jade

Since the welcome sail, we’d been like two ships passing in the night.

He’d done his thing.

I’d done mine.

Neither of us had spoken two words to the other, trying to put off the inevitable—sharing a room.

I wasn’t completely opposed to it if we were sleeping together, but after the sex was over, I wanted to bounce, and I couldn’t do that since there was only one room. See my predicament?

Wondering about my rationale on that one? Well, here you go: sex was one thing, but once you woke up with his arms wrapped around you and your legs a tangled mess beneath the sheets, shit became real. So that wasn’t happening. Because this was going to remain as fake as the Tooth Fairy.

Red was in the bathroom, primping himself. He spent more time in there than I did. Unless he was playing with himself, I honestly couldn’t understand why he wasn’t done. Either that or between the dairy he’d had and the heat, he was dealing with business.

I shook my head, gagging slightly. I never wanted to think about that again.

“I should help him get ready for bed.” I spoke in a low volume to myself. So, I paused applying lotion to my legs to help Red, starting with taking his pillow and—

Just as I was about to fling it on the floor, he was standing next to me, a hand coming around my wrist, stopping me.

He shot me a quizzical look, his brows forming a deep, perplexed V in the middle of his forehead and his lips becoming thin lines.

Not an attractive look I’d be the first to say, and that was saying a lot because most every look on him was delicious.

What? Maybe I didn’t want to stay with him after we banged, but I’d never said I was oblivious to his hotness.

Truthfully, it should have been a sin. “What do you think you’re doing?

” he asked, jarring me from my thoughts. Rude.

I dropped the pillow, went back to massaging my lotion in, and shrugged.

“Assisting you, but I’m not actually you’re assistant anymore, and I’m not looking to win any brownie points, so I couldn’t care less.

You can help yourself. You’re a big boy.

” I turned and winked. “That last one I can attest to from when we dry fucked.”

“Assuming you weren’t fluffing my pillow—”

“Why the hell would I do that? I was putting it on the floor for you. Obviously.”

“Save your obviously bull crap because I’m not taking the floor.”

I nearly choked on my own saliva, my eyes almost bugging out of my head like a cartoon character. “Funny.” I feigned laughter and then gestured to the floor. “You’ve had your fun, now good night, Red. Talk in the morning.”

Clearly ignoring me, he fluffed his pillow, pulled back the sheet on his side, and got in, wearing nothing but a pair of dark gray sweats and a white muscle shirt.

Correction: a too tight white muscle shirt.

Holy crap, I mean, I saw every hard line of his chest, every single one of the ripped muscles that formed his abs.

I saw the deep V that teased what was beneath those sweats, slung too low on his hips.

Then I looked down at my cotton boy shorts and baggy T-shirt I’d stolen from Jake many moons ago. It was the most me-outfit I’d packed this weekend.

Breaking me from my thoughts again, Red asked, “Are you going to stand there and stare at me all night, or are you going to get in and get some sleep?”

“Fuck yourself.” Thinking I was staring at him like that. Ass face. Okay, so what if maybe I was? He didn’t have the right to call me out on it.

“It’d be my pleasure. Would you like me to do it while you’re in the bed with me?”

“You’re a pig. Now get out. Haven’t you ever heard of manners?”

Smirking, he brought his hands behind his head, and every muscle in his arms bulged. “Sure, but we’re not going through a door or getting into a car. We’re sharing a goddamn bed because that’s what engaged couples do. Need I remind you we’re doing this for Lyons Enterprises?”

“You’re pathetic.” Bringing up his family’s multi-billion dollar corporation, playing it like a winning card, ugh. “I don’t need the reminder, thank you very much. But no one’s here, so you can take the floor. Promise I won’t tell anyone.”

He cocked a brow. “Oh, you’re serious?”

“Yes,” I deadpanned.

“I told you I’m not taking the floor. You’re the one with the problem, so have at it.”

The audacity. When I didn’t respond, only held my mouth agape, he decided to let more idiotic words fly out of his mouth. “Then get in, and maybe if you’re a good girl, I’ll let you touch the goods.” He flexed his biceps, and I fought the instinct to flick my tongue across them.

I rolled my eyes. “Dream on.” Meanwhile, was it wrong that maybe, just maybe, I would be dreaming about them tonight?

Slipping in beside him, I took my pillow and wedged it between us to create a pillow wall. A wholly insufficient barrier. Where was a stack of bricks when you needed them?

“Satisfied?” Red asked when I finally relaxed and pulled the sheet up over me.

I leaned back to lay down, and my head hit the mattress with a thud.

Shit. Didn’t fancy hotels always have too many pillows?

Was this not a fancy hotel? I’d certainly thought so, but judging by their lack of pillows, clearly, I was wrong.

Someone tell Sherrilyn because I had a feeling she’d want to know she may as well have booked a room block at a motel.

“Uncomfortable?”

“No,” I ground out, not liking the way he was enjoying my discomfort a bit too much. I peered over at him from the corner of my eye. Smug bastard. He could have at least hidden it. Without giving it too much thought, I tugged my pillow back, shoved it under my head, and promptly shut my eyes.

Maybe if I feigned sleep, then Red would go to sleep. The sooner morning came, the better off we’d all be.

Then again, sleep was the last thing on my mind. Especially when his leg grazed mine as he shifted on his side of the bed.

Damn my libido.