Page 176 of Small Town Firsts
Countdown begins.
Trumpets were blaring in my brain. Europe’s “The Final Countdown” was on repeat. God, I needed to get a grip.
I curled my fingers around my phone and stuffed it back into my pocket. I couldn’t even come up with a pithy reply. All we did was swap barbs. That was what we did. And all I could think of replying was…
Okay.
Yeah, not even close to worldly. Just dumb. So I didn’t reply at all. Part of me wanted to race inside and get it over with.
I hadn’t been lying when I’d said that to him.
As insane as it would be to do this with Seth, I was so damn overdue that my ovaries and hormones would officially go onstrike if I said no to this opportunity. I had a feeling my sanity would be added to that list as well.
I shouldered the door open and winced at the grinding metal on metal action of the hinge. Time to oil that one up again. I needed to make this car last a little longer.
The winters were rough on cars in this area of New York. Snow and salt were as stubborn and bitchy as my boss, Mitch.
And I was officially stalling in the worst way possible.
My phone buzzed again.
Seth
You’re dangerously close to being carried in here, damn the consequences.
Yeah, no. That wouldn’t do. I could walk—well, drive. I could just turn over the engine and drive home. He wouldn’t follow.
Maybe.
The heat in his eyes had been as thrilling as it was terrifying. There was no turning back on tonight. Honestly, there’d been no turning back for me the moment he’d let me know he was interested in seeing me naked—babymaking or not.
I dashed out into the night and headed for the front door. I couldn’t get in the side entrance since I didn’t have a card key. Evidently, I hadn’t thought this out very well.
I kept my head down and skirted around the edges of the lobby. My hair hung in wet, ropy ringlets down my back. Not an inch of me was dry.
And I do mean not an inch.
At any second, it felt like everyone in the room would be able to tell I was sans underwear. The cute yellow dress had been a nice idea when I’d left the house, but now it was the consistency of damp tissue paper.
Good thing I’d made sure all the important parts were nice and tidy.
God, what a thought. Could people see my little landing strip through the skirt of my dress?
Would Seth when I went upstairs?
I dragged the edges of my jacket together to cover up my nipples, which were definitely on display. I’d worn a sheer bra so it wouldn’t show through the summery dress. Mistakes firing every-damn-where tonight.
I glanced up to get my bearings and the woman behind the counter made eye contact with me. I couldn’t remember her name, but she’d been in the diner. Everyone in the damn town had been in the diner at one time or three.
Fuck.
Quickly, I looked away and sprinted for the elevator, holding my skirt down with the other hand as I darted through the doors.
I slapped the button for the second floor, desperately happy there was no one else in the elevator. I should have taken the stairs, but the possibility that my ass could be on display if my skirt flared up had nixed that idea before I could even slot it in my brain.
The doors opened onto the ornate floor. The hotel was high-end with an ornate brocade runner over a finely stitched ruby carpet. The walls were a textured cream with paintings and sconces giving it a rich, old world feel.
Rich was the name of the game. New England money with a side of stately age.
