Page 93 of Slumming It

"What, you think I wouldn't?"

"Actually, I don't know. I'm just a little surprised, that's all." Again, I sat up, hugging the sheets to my bare breasts. "If you honestly don't mind getting it, I could use the time to get dressed and then…I dunno…maybe call a cab or something?"

Beside me on the bed, he eyed me like I'd just suggested calling a unicorn to carry me home. "I'm not gonna let you take a cab." He looked almost insulted by the mere idea.

And now I felt awkward. "Sorry, I'm just not sure how this is done."

He cocked an eyebrow. "This?"

"You know, a one-night stand, or whatever this is." Heat flooded my face. "If you want the truth, this is sort of my first." But then, at something in his expression, I quickly clarified. "I don't mean my first time having…well,youknow. I just meant that I don't know how the whole one-night scenario is supposed to work."

Was I babbling?

I felt like I was babbling.

Of course, it didn't help that the sexiest guy on Earth was lying next to me, looking hot as sin and slightly amused.

I felt like a total idiot until he said something absolutely surreal. "One night, huh?" He smiled like he knew something I didn't. "Not ifIhave anything to say about it."

Chapter 36

Reese

In the passenger's seat, Emily was looking worried as I navigated the quiet city streets.

I never did retrieve her phone – not because my offer wasn't genuine, but because in the end, she'd opted for a quick exit from the suite and a ride back to the small hotel where we'd first met.

She'd already texted her sister, but having received no response, she was looking more concerned by the minute.

Against the norm, it bothered me to see her upset. "You wanna talk about it?"

"You mean the situation with Vivian?"

"Unless you're upset about something else."

She turned and gave me an apologetic smile. "Sorry, I know I'm being a real downer. It's just that Vivian and I have this agreement. We never stay out all night without letting the other one know beforehand – you know, for safety."

"Good plan." And I meant it, too. From what I'd seen of the world, girls like Emily could never be too careful.

Emily gave her cellphone another anxious glance. "Yeah, but if I know Vivian, she was probably up half the night worrying."

I was curious where this worrying had taken place. "You mean at the hotel?"

Emily shook her head. "No, at home. Someone else watches the hotel at night."

I was glad to hear it. "Oh, yeah? Who's that?"

"It's this local handyman," she explained. "We give him a free place to stay, and he gives us free maintenance and basic repairs. He also answers the bell if anyone comes in after hours."

"Does that happen a lot?"

Again, she shook her head. "Not really. We don't claim to be a full-service hotel, so anything after eight o'clock is kind of hit or miss."

The business part of me thought this was a mistake. The better part of me was glad that neither Emily nor her sister were manning the hotel alone at night. Sure, this town was safer than most, but this was no guarantee that nothing bad would happen if the wrong person walked in the door.

Looking to keep Emily talking, I replied, "It sounds like a win-win."

"Oh, it is. We're really lucky to have Donnie around. Sometimes, he mows the lawn, too. But for that, we need to do something special in return."