Page 76 of Just This Once

“Promise me you won’t squander it,” she begged with the cutest, old-person smile.

Absolutely melting, I covered her hand with my own. “I swear,” I whispered. Then I sent her a brilliant smile, realizing just how blessed I was to be able to stand here in this moment and share something real and honest with this beautiful stranger. “Thank you.”

“What a sweetie,” she told me, laughing out her pleasure as she patted my cheek and leaned in to whisper. “It can’t hurt to wear something a little slutty too.”

I blurted out a laugh and then nodded. “Yes, ma’am. I hear you.”

That actually wasn’t a bad idea. But first, I had to clear the forest.

That’s it. I needed more time.

Biting my lip, I logged into my messages app, and my stomach did another dive when I reread Parker’s text.

I still couldn’t believe he’d said yes.

But this had to be perfect. So I started typing.

Actually, tomorrow would be better for me. I’d like a day to prepare.

Then, I read his message again, and before he could respond, I typed some more.

And do you mind meeting closer to eight? I want all my supper cleared through my system, so I don’t have to worry about indigestion or something worse.

Gah. Had I really just said that to him? I groaned and slapped a hand to my forehead, only to completely lose my mind and start typing again.

Oh! Is a hotel room okay instead? I’ll pay. I just don’t want to have any of those kinds of memories at your place in case I ever have to go there with Alec or anything.

He was so going to back out of this. And I couldn’t say I would blame him either. It was as if my brain had completely left the station. Parker was going to reply any second and call off the whole?—

My phone rang.

With a whimper, I cringed down at the screen and saw his name. “Shit.”

“Yes?” I answered way more timidly than I meant to.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” he demanded in my ear.

After a weak shrug, I started pushing my shopping cart aimlessly toward the front of the store. “About which part?”

“All of it,” he thundered. “I said yes. Do you have to argue witheveryfucking detail of the specifics?

A small scowl marred my eyebrows. “Well, it ismydying wish we’re granting here, so yeah… I’d say I would like the details to be just to my specifications.” Arching my eyebrows, I snottily added, “If that doesn’tbotheryou too much.”

“Jesus. Fine,” he grumbled. “Tomorrow at eight in a hotel. ButI’llbook the room.”

I blinked, a little startled that he’d actually given in so easily. “If you insist,” I said, feeling as if I might start floating off my feet and straight up into a euphoric cloud at any moment. “I could’ve picked a nice enough place, though.”

He grunted out his distrust and merely replied, “I’ll text you the hotel details as soon as I have reservations.”

“Sounds good.” I nodded and paused my cart at the back of the checkout line.

When he didn’t answer immediately, I was sure he’d hung up on me already but then, in a low voice, he said, “It’s just this once, right?”

“Right,” I confirmed with a practical nod. Once should definitely do it for me. “One single, insignificant time,” I added. “Manwhore that you are, it should be nothing for you.” While for me, I was banking on it being everything. At least good enough to rate a bucket list experience, anyway. “You’ll probably forget all about it within the month.”

“Yeah, we’ll see about that,” he answered in a rough voice.

When I didn’t respond, his end of the line went quiet.

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