Page 39 of A Mutually Beneficial Proposal

I want to question his odd reaction, but I’m the one who said I didn’t want to get serious with this. If he doesn’t want to share about his day, then that’s fine.

“Room service sounds perfect,” I answer, and the next thing I know, I’m tossed over his shoulder and he’s carrying me back toward the hotel. I squeal but relax in his arms and do my best to leave my worries on the beach.

Whatever we’re doing not only feels right, but it’s helping me forget the betrayal of Gavin. My biggest hope is that the strength I’m finding here continues to grow, even when I go home to an empty house.

We get to the elevator, and Owen finally sets me down. He doesn’t even wait for the doors to fully close before he has me pressed against the wall and his hands grope my ass.

Our lips meet, and everything about the kiss is frenzied. Our tongues battle for dominance, our teeth clash, and our chests press together. I don’t understand how he makes me feel so much with just the stroke of his tongue, but I’m not mad about it.

It takes me nipping at his lower lip for him to take a breath. “One of us should press the button for our floor,” I say.

He groans before yanking the room key from his front pocket. While he handles the screen, I push my hand down his shorts. My fingers wrap around his dick, pulling and squeezing and fondling.

My thumb rubs over the tip, and I grin when it’s already wet.

“I want to fuck you right here, right now, but I also don’t want to get kicked out of the hotel if someone gets on the elevator,” Owen says before kissing his way down my neck.

As if he conjured the event, the elevator dings and an older couple is waiting to get on. Owen moves so his back is to them and I pull my hand from his shorts.

His whole body is vibrating with silent laughter while I’m dying on the inside. I stay hidden behind Owen, but apparently that doesn’t work for the great-grandmother-looking woman who steps into our bubble, peeking around Owen’s shoulder.

“Honey, don’t be ashamed he couldn’t wait to get back to the room. What do you think we were just doing in ours? We didn’t even make it to dessert before we needed privacy. Damn oysters.”

Owen chuckles. “It’s always the oysters.”

The doors open again to another floor, and she winks at me. “Have fun, kids. We’re going dancing.”

I move so I can see better around Owen. The elderly couple is already outside the elevator, and I don’t miss when the husband grabs her ass on the way out. She squeals like a teenager instead of the eighty-year-old I assume her to be.

“Did that really just happen?” I ask, voice filled with disbelief.

“They’re who I want to be when I grow up,” Owen says, and the doors close once more.

“Why would you ever want to grow up?” I joke before reaching for him again.

Owen moves in to kiss me. All too soon, we arrive at our floor and have to pull apart again. He picks me up and cradles me in his arms.

This feels too intimate after the conversation we just had, but I ignore the heaviness in my chest and laugh when he begins to run down the hallway toward our room.

I take the key from his hand and open the door myself, so he doesn’t have to set me down. Just when I twist the handle, Owen mutters, “Shit.”

“Ella?” I hear Blake’s voice and really want to ignore him, but Owen turns with me still in his arms.

“Oh, look, honey. It’s your friend Blaine.”

“Blake. My name is Blake,” he corrects with a tightness in his voice.

I look over at Cammie. Her eyes are red, but she manages to force a smile to her face. “You two are so adorable together.”

Jesus, the need to warn her about Blake, regardless of whether they’re already married, hits me right in my gut. If she’s hoping he’ll change, she’s sorely mistaken.

“Awe, thanks. I’m pretty lucky.” I pat Owen’s chest lovingly, then without thinking too much about it, I add, “I’m getting a pedicure tomorrow at eleven. You should join me.”

Blake glowers at me. “We’re busy.”

Well, he’s sure changed his tune from when he was suggesting we have dinner together.

Cammie pats his arm. “I don’t want to watch you play golf. I’ll go with Ella, so you don’t have to listen to me whine when I’m bored. This works out perfectly.”

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