Page 4 of Spring Break with a One Night Stand

“I trust you,” he said.

She dipped her head, eyes moving from the list of cocktails to his face and back again. Catching her bottom lip between her teeth, she looked around for the server.

A friendly young woman in a white shirt and blue uniform came up to the table. “Hi, folks. Would you like to start with drinks or an appetizer?”

Nelson inclined his head toward Odette, indicating she would be ordering for them.

“I’ll have a Golden Cadillac, and my…friend…will have a Bubble Bath.” The server’s brows went up as she looked to him for confirmation.

Holding back a laugh, he nodded.

“I’ll give you a few minutes to look over the menu.” The server wandered off, a bit bemused.

“What, exactly, is in a Bubble Bath?” he asked.

She read off the description. “Bacardi Dragon Berry Rum, Bols Watermelon liqueur, fresh berries and mint, mint syrup and Butterfly Kiss Moscato.”

“That sounds like it would pair better with the Ambrosia French toast than Eggs Benedict.”

“Yum. I had French toast for breakfast.” She eyed the menu, then groaned. “I should have worn something with a little more stretch. I’m going to play it safe and go with the Detox Salad.”

“I thought we were doing crazy.”

“Crazy within reason,” she clarified. “Plus, too many carbs put me in a stupor, and I want to be fully present for whatever happens tonight.”

Her candor triggered a visceral reaction. Heat flooded his veins, warming every cell in his body until Nelson felt like he was going to spontaneously combust.

“So, it’s mutual?” He shifted closer to Odette, his voice low.

She nodded, shoulders hunching forward and then rolling back as she reached out to lay her fingers across his forearm.

“This is completely crazy,” she admitted. “I didn’t come to Vegas looking for a casual hook-up. It’s been at least three years since I’ve dated anyone, and twice as long since…you know.”

This, he did know.

“You knowwasn’t my intention when I sent that slimeball bothering you at the Inferno on his way.” He pulled his arm out from under her hand and reached below the table to curve it over her knee, her skin soft and warm. “I hope this doesn’t make me sound like a perv, but I noticed you as soon as I walked into the nightclub. I didn’t want to come onto you with a cheesy pick-up line, so when that guy started bothering you, it gave me a legit excuse to introduce myself.”

“I’m glad you did.” She settled her hand on his thigh and squeezed. “I’m very attracted to you, Nelson, but I’ve never indulged in a one-night stand. I’d be more comfortable if we got a little better acquainted before–“

“–you know,” he finished for her. “I’m perfectly fine not rushing into anything. And if the evening ends here, that’s okay too. There’s always tomorrow.”

She caught his left hand with her right and pulled it from under the table, examining his bare fingers. “How are you not married? You’re good looking, easy to talk to, and you respect women’s boundaries.”

“I’ve had a few serious relationships, but I like to move around. That makes it hard to maintain a committed relationship. My dad was an officer in the Navy, and we transferred to a new duty station every few years. My family is scattered all over the country, and two of my sisters and their families live overseas. I usually relocate to be close to one of my sisters for a while before moving along to the next one.”

“I’m firmly planted in Love Beach.” She caressed his knuckles with her thumb. “Fortunately, it’s just a couple hours’ drive to visit my parents and extended family in Georgia.”

Nelson reminded himself he’d just met Odette and so, shouldn’t be bothered by any differences between them. Still, hearing she was so deeply rooted in her hometown was a letdown. It was an unfair and irrational expectation when they were likely to share little more than a single night together.

“Here you go.” The server reappeared and set their drinks in front of them. “Enjoy!”

Good advice, Nelson told himself. Stop picturing Odette and Mae sorting through antiques at a secondhand store. Stop imagining Odette squeezed next to him at a crowded Thanksgiving table. Stop fantasizing about a future with a woman he’d known less than an hour, and just…you know.

Enjoy.

Chapter Three

Odette tried to organize the thoughts and emotions churning in her head, but it was impossible to sort through the chaotic jumble. She tightened her grip on Nelson’s hand so she didn’t fly into a million pieces, eyes locked on the numbers lighting up as they ascended from the lobby to his hotel room on the twentieth floor.

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