No sooner had we arrived did one of Cassie’s many boy toysconvenientlytext her to meet up. We didn’t need words to communicate that I was okay with her leaving. Already smitten with Chris, she wished us a good night and promised to call me in the morning. She sashayed toward the exit and sent us a flirty wave before disappearing through the door.

“You must have a lot of fun with her,” Chris said after she gulped her gin and tonic down and thanked him for being “such a sweetheart.”

“She has her moments. She’s got a heart of gold. Keeps me on my toes, but always has my back.”

“As any good friend should.”

“Yeah.” An awkward moment of silence passed. Just as he opened his mouth to say something, I asked, “Do you want to get out of here?”

He closed his mouth and looked toward the door. “Yeah,” he said after a long pause.

“Great,” I hopped out of my chair and pulled him by the hand. I welcomed the freshness of the night air.

“Madison?” Chris said behind me. “Madison?” he repeated.

I almost forgot about my fib and turned around as he called my last name. His head cocked to the side endearingly. Before he could say anything else, I crashed my mouth to his, his firm yet soft lips drawing me to him. I lifted onto my toes and opened my mouth for him. Our tongues slid together as we fell deeper into our kiss. My body melted into his, and his arms came around me. When his hands slipped over my ass, I pulled him closer.

“Where are you staying?” I asked, remembering he said he was staying nearby.

“The Sand Dollar,” he said, his voice gravelly and all man.

I reluctantly pulled away from the heat of his body and laced my fingers through his as we headed to his hotel.

Chapter Three

Emily

A brisk ten minutes later, we arrived at Chris’s hotel.

Hand in hand, we made our way to the elevator. Chris smiled at me and said, “Just so you know, I don’t normally do this.”

“Aren’t I the one who’s supposed to say that?” The doors slid open, and we stepped in.

He pushed the button for his floor. “I just don’t want you to think I don’t respect you.”

“Chris, you seem like a really nice guy.” I kissed him lightly. “Let me say this and get it out of the way. I certainly didn’t come out tonight looking for a guy to go home with. But here we are.”

As if on cue, the elevator stopped.

“I noticed you earlier,” he said, holding the door for me to step past. He was such a gentleman.

“I noticed you, too,” I said honestly.

“You were the hottest lady in that place.”

“Lady?” I chuckled. “You are something else, mister.”

Keycard in hand, he stopped outside his door, hesitating a moment.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” He shook himself out of whatever preoccupied his mind.

“You’re not married, are you?”

“What? No!” He sounded appalled. “I’m just . . .”

“Nervous?”