Page 30 of Only the Wicked

The bathroom door opens as a flash of light brightens the room for a tenth of a second and a loud boom sounds.

“Looks like I’m about to get drenched,” Rhodes says with a grin as he reaches for his shirt.

“Where’s your room?”

“I’m in a villa. Back of the property.”

“Stay.” The word slips out thoughtlessly, without strategy or design. “You don’t need to run off.”

“I won’t melt. Trust me.” His sexy smirk is only topped by the way his eyes glide over my breasts.

“I’ve always read that southern thunderstorms are no joke. Don’t people die in Florida?”

His smirk breaks into a high wattage grin.

“You want me to stay. To sleep?” His teeth bite down on the corner of his lip and his eyebrows lift.

The rain patters against the glass, blowing sideways onto the panes.

“It can be done. Up to you.”

I’m honestly uncertain what I want him to do. Part of me wants him to leave so I can clear my head and process. But a warring faction wants him safe in bed with me…and not to sleep.

Chapter

Ten

Rhodes

Getting soaked running to an empty villa holds little appeal. Still, if I were back home in San Francisco, I’d be out the door. Nothing quite says relationship like staying the night and not having sex. But I’m not in San Francisco, I’m on vacation.

She hasn’t yet Googled me. It’s not possible. She hasn’t had time. And we hit it off before she learned my last name. It’s rare to meet someone who has zero knowledge of my accomplishments or net worth. It’s the reason my circle is suffocatingly small. Sex or not, I could use a friend outside of Silicon Valley.

“Tell you what. I’ll stay and keep you safe from the storm, on the condition that tomorrow we hike together.”

“Where do you want to hike?”

“The beauty picks.”

“Deal.”

“I'm going to brush my teeth and…” The domesticity of my statement pummels the confidence in this decision and renders me incapable of completing the sentence. The words ring of my seven years with Sara and I’ve no desire to repeat mistakes.

I grab my phone, a purely instinctual move, and step into the bathroom.

Behind the closed door, I break open the plastic wrap on the hotel-provided spare toothbrush, and with my other hand, swipe my finger down the glass phone panel to scan the notifications.

* * *

Daisy Jonas

Need a little more to go on. 206 Sydney Parkers in the US

* * *

Figured. I’ll get her more info tomorrow.

* * *