Page 18 of Hot for the Jerk

“Bean flick fodder for later?”I gave her a wink, then dragged my laptop back between us and went on the hunt for a movie.

She shook her head and set her phone back on the nightstand, and I definitely pretended not to notice that she didn’t delete it.“Just when I thought there might be hope for us …”

“Hope for us?”

Shut up, McEvoy.Just shut the fuck up.

I kept giving her my stupid, charming smile, because it usually worked on women—just not this woman.This woman, I was used to riling up.I was used to making her glare, and frown, and plot my murder.But I didn’t want to do that right now.At least not the way I normally did.I’d rather rile her up in a different way.Get her skin to flush a deeper pink than it already was.Make her nostrils flare again, her eyes darken, and her tongue flick out and slide along her bottom lip, making it glisten.

“For atruce.At least while we’re stuck here in,” she waved her hand around to encompass the room, “this … place.This … shoebox of a honeymoon suite.”She inched further away from me.“She said this was a queen, right?”Then she snorted.“It sure fucking isn’t a queen.If this is a queen, then I’m a natural blonde.”

The laugh that barked out of me made her jump and glare at me.“Sorry,” I murmured.“I don’t know why I thought that was as funny as my laugh made it seem.”

All she did was glare harder.

“What movie do you want to watch?”I asked, going to Disney.“Frozen?”I snickered at my own joke, which she obviously didn’t find funny.“Ice Age?”Grabbing the rosé from the nightstand, I took a long swig.

“How about the new Matt Damon movie?”she suggested.“He never sucks, and his films rarely do.I mean,Downsizing—which was just weird—still had really good acting.It just wasn’t a great movie.”

I went to Netflix instead and typed in “Matt Damon,” then clicked on his latest release.“I actually agree with you.While I certainly appreciate the message thatDownsizingwas trying to convey, and the acting was good, I just feel like it missed the mark.Was it trying to be a comedy?A drama?It just couldn’t pick a genre and follow through in a satisfying way.”

Her head bobbed in agreement, and then she reached over and turned off the light on her nightstand, pitching us into the dark—aside from the light of my laptop.We finished our booze, but didn’t opt for more, and while my belly rumbled with hunger, I was done with the nuts.Too salty.I’d just have to have a big breakfast in the morning.

We watched the movie in silence.I’d subtly glance over at her periodically, then feel her subtly glance over at me.Never did we glance at each other at the same time.It happened so often though, it was beginning to feel like a dance.Her lips would move in that way they do when she’s trying to stay mad, or serious, and not smile.I found myself glancing at her more, just to make her mouth do it more.

Eventually, my bladder got impatient, and I got up to go to the bathroom.While in there, I brushed my teeth and poured us each a glass of water.

She glanced at me as I made my way back to the bed, stopping to set her water on the nightstand.“We should both drink some water, otherwise we’ll wake up dead tomorrow.”

Her throat moved on a tight swallow as she squeaked out a surprised little, “Thank you.”Then took a sip.

“I’ll sleep on the floor,” I said, sliding back onto the bed on my side, but not looking at her.“I’ll use fifty or so of those thousand pillows over there, and some of the spare blankets in the closet.I’ll be fine.”

I wouldn’t be fine, but I’d survive.My back would suffer for sure, but that was what Wolfe Unger, the magician chiropractor on San Camanez, was for.He’d crack-a-lack me back into working order in no time.And if I brought him a case of beer, he’d squeeze me in even if he was full for the day.

“Thank you,” she whispered, still staring at the screen.

All I did was nod.Nod, and resume my frequent sideways glances at her, along with the movie, until my eyelids grew too heavy to keep up, and I drifted off to sleep.

So much for sleeping on the floor.

The next morning was unkind in every sense of the word.Not only did it come too soon, but it greeted me with the mother of all hangovers.I hadn’t been in this rough of shape in a long time.

I also woke up on the bed with a glaring and extremely tired-looking Raina staring at me.“I thought you were going to sleep on the floor,” she said, way too fucking loud for my brain.

I winced.“I fell asleep by accident.I’m sorry.”

Groaning, she rolled over onto her back and pressed the heels of her hands into her eye sockets.“Are you dead?”

“Yes.”

“Me too.”

I grunted in acknowledgment.

“Breakfast is served between seven-thirty and nine-thirty.What time is it?”

“You have a phone too,” I said, reaching for my phone from the nightstand anyway.“Oh, fuck.”I meant to spring out of bed like a limber baby gazelle, but it was more of a roll—like a walrus coming out of anesthesia after getting his wisdom tusks removed—and landed on my face on the floor.“It’s nine-fifteen.”

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