Page 23 of Play to Win

I am with this man.If you don’t hear from me in a week

I pause.Delete, delete, delete.

I am with this man.If you don’t hear from me in three days, call the police and tell th

Delete, delete, delete.

I am with this man.Just FYI.We’re going to Marina del Rey for a while.

I slide the license back into his wallet as I hear the water stop.Still no contact from Chris.Damn.

I eye the lone king-size bed in the room.I should be in bed when Théo comes out, but ...dammit.I smack my forehead.I didn’t buy anything to sleep in.

I did buy panties though, and I quickly pull a pair out of the bag, remove the tags, and slip them on under the towel.

Théo emerges with a towel around his waist, and once again, it’s hard to tear my eyes away.Jesus on a pita, he’s in good shape.Droplets of water cling to his golden skin—he must not spendallhis time in an office, because he’s got a tan—and I want to lick them off, starting at the one just above his navel ...or maybe that one tracing down over a very fit oblique ...

I lift my gaze to see him watching me.I hope I’m not literally drooling.I wipe my mouth, heat spreading from my chest up to my face, turning my cheeks what must be crimson.“I, uh, was going to get into bed, but I don’t have anything to sleep in.”

His lips quirk.“Fine with me.”

I tilt my head and give him a reproving look.

He strides over to his suitcase and pulls out a neatly folded T-shirt.“Here you go.”

“Thanks.”It’s super soft, well-worn gray cotton.Swallowing, I give him my back, drop the towel, and lower the shirt over my head.I hear a faint noise almost like a groan as I do so, and I know he’s watching me, naked other than white panties that don’t cover much.

I turn to face him, lifting my hair free of the shirt.He’s still standing in the exact same spot, his eyes glittering behind his glasses, his lips parted.

My body vibrates with tension and arousal as heat flares between us.

I break the eye contact and move over to the bed, tugging the puffy duvet back to slide beneath it.

Heaven.

I worked at this hotel, but I’ve sure as hell never slept here.This bed is amazing.The mattress molds to my body, the pillow is like a cloud, and the duvet sinks slowly down over me in a light hug.

Théo turns to his suitcase and yep, I watch as he drops the towel and steps into another pair of boxers.My chest tightens and my belly heats seeing his amazing body completely naked—from behind, mind you.It’s an athlete’s body, with strong thighs, a firm ass I want to bite, and rippling muscles all up his back.

When I assumed the guys he was with were all hockey players, he said he didn’t play hockey.Not anymore, anyway.

Which means he must have played hockey at some point.That would explain the muscles.I need to know more.

Except ...I’m so very sleepy ...I’m not so drunk that the room is spinning, but I’m definitely buzzed.My eyes drift closed.

I vaguely feel the bed move as Théo joins me, the duvet lifting then settling again.He hesitates, then wraps an arm around my middle and pulls my back against his front.I wriggle in to get comfy, reveling in the feel of hot, hair-roughened male skin, big bones and muscles curved around me, which elicits another faint groan.Laying my hand over his arm, I plunge into sleep.

THÉO

I’m dreaming about birds.No, cats.No ...it’s a baby.Crying.

But right here beside me, in bed.

Not a baby.It’s Lacey.

I jerk out of sleep and into wakefulness.“Lacey.”I set a hand on her shoulder.She’s rolled away from me and onto her stomach, her shoulders shaking, her face buried in the pillow, which muffles her sobs.I massage her gently.“Hey.What’s wrong?”

She shakes her head violently and takes a shuddery breath.

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