Page 40 of Player

He makes a noise and my gaze snaps upward.

“I’ll strip down to me birthday suit if it’ll keep you quiet.”

Busted.

His broad grin confirms it.

“Parade around naked with a body like yours and I might forget how to speak,” I answer, feeling myself blush as I do so. What I’m not likely to forget are his kisses. Why did he have to suck so bad as a lover?

My words surprise him. Embarrassing as it may be, I’m not one to play shy or react with anything but honesty.

And I can tell he likes it, likes being flattered. I wonder how long it’s been since he was in a relationship. Whoever she was, she had the makings of a rock star in bed yet failed miserably at teaching him to sing.

“You take the piss outta me, storeen,” he grinds out, “and you’ll discover I’m more man than you can handle.”

I burst into laughter.

“Feck’s sake,” he curses before he walks away.

I hurry after him, still laughing. When it finally fades away, he grumbles, “You done?”

“For now.”

Yeah, he’s not the only one playing this game between us. Going forward, I’m considering laughing at him every time he dodges my questions.

Finn charges off, but I keep a steady pace behind him. We enter a populated area then continue across town, ending up at a small inn at the top of a hill. Finn disappears inside before I can catch up. By the time I enter, he has the room key in hand.

One key.

One room.

I can’t say I’m surprised. Finn loves a challenge, for sure. My laughing at him must feel like I tossed down the gauntlet. But seriously, hot bodied or not, do I want a repeat performance of that night?

Forcing my thoughts away from his muscular body, I make a mental list of questions for him as I follow him to the room, namely: Who is the buyer? Is he certain he won’t leave town? How exactly does he plan on catching his attention?

The room is small. The full-size bed, covered in a bright, floral-pattered quilt is small. The table by the window, covered in the same fabric as the quilt, is small. The fake flowers scattered throughout the room are bountiful, as is the thick, heavily fragranced, floral bouquet air-freshener in the air.

Finn curses as he opens the window.

“Jaysus. I imagined a thousand different deaths. Never thought flowers were what would do me in.”

“Death by daisies.”

He chuckles.

“I ordered a proper supper be brought up. Ladies first in the shower, though be quick about it.”

“Such a gentleman,” I comment, heading into the attached bathroom. I’ll rinse my underwear out in the sink and hang them to dry. But I’ll have to rewear the T-shirt and light khaki pants I have on. Tomorrow, I’ll see about buying new clothes.

Thirty minutes later, I let Finn have a turn in the bathroom. While he showers, I comb out my hair and then do a slow inventory of everything in my knapsack. Mascara. Lip gloss. Gum. Cell phone. Gun. A wallet with two credit cards and a few hundred American dollar bills. Passport. Notepad and matching pen.

One condom.

I blink, then stare at it like the foil has an imprint of a happy face.

A sharp knock on the door interrupts me. I curl the condom into my hand before answering it. An older woman carrying a large tray pushes her way inside and over to the table. “The things yer fella wanted are on the tray.”

“Um ... thanks.”