Page 8 of Cocky Tech God

“Let me check neighboring hotels for vacancies.” A reggae tune filled the line that time, reminding me I was in paradise, not the hell I’d been living through in that moment. Though I couldn’t decide if the hell was Hansen in my room, or my libido cheering at the notion of possibly doing the things I said on the conference call, because I still wanted to do that. And being on a tropical island made it easier to disregard the decision I’d made to keep our relationship business-only.

“Hansen,” I began, hoping I could be civil about this. I had my doubts. “They double-booked us and there are no vacancies at this hotel.”

He stepped back. “Oh…”

Finally, he looked serious, as he should be. Us together in a room was a terrible idea, and I didn’t want to be the only one who thought so.

“She’s checking other hotels now.”

The receptionist came back on the line. “Miss Mendez, I’m sorry to tell you there are no vacancies in any hotel along Seven Mile Beach. Even as far as George Town. Everything is booked this week.”

“Everything is booked?” My voice croaked.

Hansen and I stared at each other. So that was it. I was about to share a room with my competitor, also known as the dick in Prada loafers I’d like to share my bed with.

Little did I know how that very statement would become my reality a month later.

God help me.

Hansen

The universe put us together purposely. There was no other explanation. No lie, I didn’t hate the idea of sharing a room with Lucia. Maybe I’d get to find out if she wore lacy thongs or boy shorts. Both, maybe.

“What should we do first?” I sat on the bed, angling toward her.

She stood by the desk biting her bottom lip until it was swollen, which of course had my undivided attention. “Obviously, you’re going to sleep on the beach.”

I laughed. “No, seriously.”

“Seriously. Take your Louis Vuitton luggage and a sheet and make a tent.”

I wasn’t surprised that she wasn’t in the mood to joke around. This wasn’t exactly an ideal situation. And I wasn’t even sure she and I would ever hook up. Especially since she rejected my offer earlier. For the first time that I’d ever witnessed, she was outwardly angered.

She walked to her bags and unzipped one. With a t-shirt in her grasp, she continued, “We can’t possibly stay in the same room. Even you must know how that’s such a bad idea, on a variety of levels.”

“But why is it bad?” I waited for her response. If she really thought it was a bad idea, then she’d have all her reasoning cocked, loaded, and ready to shoot. But she gave me no reasons at all. “We’ve been headed in this direction for a while, Lucia, and you know it.”

She furrowed her eyebrows. “We’ve had a flirtation, Hansen. Nothing more than that.”

I slipped off my suit jacket and kicked off my shoes. “It doesn’t just feel like a simple flirtation. I mean, you really would’ve kept that fantasy about me to yourself if it was just a flirtation. You have actual desires for me. And you know I have actual desires for you. It’s just sex. Anything more than that would be—”

“Complicated.”

It certainly would be complicated, as we were in constant communication being in the same professional organizations. Living in the same city. Being actual competitors. And the fact that we both were competing for the Morgan Financial Holdings’s cybersecurity contract. But I could get over all that.

“I know you’re not into the relationship thing just like me—”

“Not happening, Hansen.” She lifted her hand. “No matter what I said on the call.”

“So…”

“So here we are, forced to share a room.” She leaned against the wall, still holding her t-shirt.

Damn. Looked like we would not be indulging in anything other than being competitors despite what the universe wanted.

I sighed. “I’m sorry. This isn’t ideal. I get it.” I slipped my finger through the Half Windsor knot of my tie and yanked down until the whole thing came undone. “But what can we do? It’s not like we can’t be adults about this.”

She moved off the wall. “Of course, we can. It’s not like we can’t share a room and keep it professional. Well…” A hint of a smile came back.

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