Page 9 of Provoke You

“I love it there. I guess you could say it’s in my blood.”

“The locals tell me the hotel is haunted.” He flashed me a smile.

“It’s all true. The tormented spirits and I, we get along well.” Every time he smiled my hangover let up a bit. I gripped his bicep for support. He didn’t flinch or move away. “Grans wanted me to manage the hotel one day. Maybe one day I will. I don’t know.”

I knew the ins and outs of the Baroness, but taking the reins scared the crap out of me. I couldn’t risk losing our family hotel. I would never forgive myself if I drove it into the ground just because I rushed into it before I was ready.

“So riding on the Carousel bar is just the thing you do while you decide?”

“Is this you being funny? It’s cute.”

“If managing the Baroness is what you really want, what are you waiting for?” He peeled a lock of wet hair off the side of my face.

I’d asked myself that same question many times. Maybe I’d been waiting for Dad to tell me he believed I could do it. Or maybe I didn’t want it anymore. Matt surveyed my face. He nodded as if he understood he needed to let it go. When he opened the passenger door for me, I raised my eyebrows in question.

Letting out a breath, he looked up and then back at me. “Do you handcuff every guy you meet during your crazy escapades?”

“You’re my first.” I leaned in, and his pupils dilated. In broad daylight, that could only mean one thing — he was affected by whatever this thing between us was. Same as me. The thrill I felt with that knowledge was intoxicating. “How do we do this?”

He ran his thumb across his bottom lip, as if considering something. “I’ll climb over the console.”

I followed close with my left hand on his chained wrist as he threw one long leg over the seat and landed gracefully on the driver’s side.

I let out a giggle and crawled in. “We’re in luck. Looks like no one saw me leaving with you. There’s always the random blogger hoping to snap the picture that will go viral and put them on the map.”

“That’s exhausting.” He put the car in gear and drove off.

I shrugged while I did my best to ignore his smell and the warmth I felt sitting near him. I focused on what I had to do. First thing would be to call Jennifer. As Dad’s chief of staff, she managed Dad’s affairs. Doing damage control on my behalf wasn’t in her job description, but over the years, she’d taken the role of older sister and had gotten me out of more jams than I could count.

He pulled over into an open spot in front of my hotel. “I think it’s better if we go out on the driver’s side.” He climbed out while I scrambled to get my legs over the console. Not as easy as he’d made it look.

He cleared his throat. “What’s your plan? Where do we get a key for the handcuffs?”

“You know, for a planner and a strategist, you don’t really have a lot of plans.” If I had to be honest, I didn’t have one either. “Didn’t the marines teach you how to pick handcuffs?”

“No, they didn’t.” He pressed his lips. Was he hiding a smile? “I had some training on restraints, but not locks.”

“Maybe a little initiative would’ve served you well today.”

“Maybe.” He held my gaze, and I melted a little.

“We’ll call Jennifer from the hotel bar.” I broke eye contact and took the side entrance that led to the courtyard and the hotel bar.

The cool, musty breeze rushed through the brick corridor. I shouldered the door open and almost cried in relief. The old blackened sconces, green carpet, and mahogany furnishings in the small rectangular room were all the greeting I needed.

My smile faded from my lips when I glanced up and met Jennifer’s blue gaze.

“I’ve been waiting for you.” Lines curved around her mouth.

Oh crap. I’d be willing to bet she’d already seen the video. “Please don’t be mad. Things got out of hand and—”

She put up her hand. “Spare me the details. This is the worst time for you to pull a stunt like this. You’re making it too easy for him.”

“Me? Why didn’t you tell me Dad was in town?”

She winced. In seconds, her anger was replaced with pity. “He asked me not to. He decided to stay for a couple more days.”

“Oh right. He’s here to meet with his big, bad marine.” I pointed at Matt.

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