He tugged the front folds of my bathrobe away and lay back down on top of me. I inhaled, feeling the warmth of his bare skin against mine. He reached a hand out across the mattress, searching for something. I didn't know what it was until I felt his hand encircle mine. He interlocked our fingers, continuing to kiss me.

This was unexpected. He stroked the side of my hand with his thumb, beginning to slide his tongue inside my mouth. The weight of his body pressed against me, undulating in passionate movements as our kissing became more intense. I inhaled deeply, feeling my bare breasts press against his chest.

His other hand slid between my legs, pushing my thighs farther apart. I continued the movement, wrapping my legs around his back. He grunted and undulated more rapidly, almost as if he was thrusting even though he wasn't inside me yet.

He slid his fingers across my opening, playing against the edges almost cautiously. He began to stroke the folds of my labia, gently at first and then harder and more quickly. I was breathing heavily, responding to the pulses of heat he was sending through my body. His touches had a strength to them that made me dizzy with sensation.

“Are you wet?” he whispered.

“See for yourself,” I whispered back.

He slid his fingers inside my opening and inhaled, feeling how ready I was. He began to slide his fingers in and out, using varying degrees of pressure and speed, readying me even more. I groaned, arching my head back and closing my eyes. We were both breathing heavily. I could feel his cock pressed against the side of my leg, pulsing with desire. It felt like a rod of iron.

“Now?” he panted.

I nodded. I felt unable to speak. The whole thing felt like a sudden, passionate, overwhelming dream. He lifted himself up over me and pressed the tip of his cock against my opening. I closed my eyes and inhaled as he pushed himself in, rocking my hips slightly with his movement. His head rested against mine, and I could hear his soft inhales of pleasure in my ear.

He began to thrust, gently at first and then more forcefully. Shockwaves of pleasure began to ripple through me, accelerating into a burst of ecstasy. Ian wasn't the only person who screamed in that room that night. When we were finished, he lay back down on top of me and found my fingers again. He held them, his face resting against my chest, taking deep breaths.

I gazed at the ceiling, filled with exquisite warmth and enjoyed the feeling of his skin pressing against mine - the weight of his body.

"I should go," I whispered after a while. I didn't want to sleep here. He was acting like I was someone he loved, and I didn't understand it. I needed to understand who this new Ian was. I feared that if I fell asleep there, I would wake up to Ian Huntington, who didn't like me. I would have to retreat from his room like some unwanted thing.

“Okay,” he whispered, rolling off me. He stood at the side of the bed, waiting for me to get up. When I did, he took my hand.

Surprised, I picked up the bathrobe, still lying on the bed. I would have put it on again, but he still held my hand. He walked me over to the door between our rooms. The cool air prickled my bare skin.

"Did you have a key?" he asked, stopping with me before the open door.

I shook my head. “It was unlocked,” I said. “The hotel made a mistake, I guess.”

“The universe didn’t,” he said. He leaned his head down to mine and kissed my forehead. “Thank you,” he said. His eyes were soft.

I nodded, lost for words. I walked through the doorway, still feeling in a warm haze. I heard him shut the door behind me. I turned and looked at it. Did that really just happen? Yes. Yes, it definitely had. Feeling sleepy and calm, I tumbled into bed, pulled the covers up to my chin, snuggled down, and fell asleep.

Chapter Five

I woke up feeling nice and warm. A bright pink kind of happiness was purring around inside of me. I opened my eyes and suddenly remembered last night. I sat up, staring at the wall in front of me. Now that sunlight was pouring in through my hotel room window, I felt sure that last night must have been a dream.

There was no way something like that could have happened–Ian screaming through the walls, the door being unlocked between our rooms–the sex. The most amazing sex of my life. With a man who usually drove me up the wall, pushing me up a mattress instead. And he’d been…sweet. Almost sweet. Tender. Strangely tender and thrilling and unexpected.

I rolled over, hugging a pillow and staring out the window. I could see a vibrantly blue sky and sunlight glistening on the water.

“I didn’t dream that, right?” I mouthed, turning my head to look at the door that adjoined my and Ian’s rooms.

I couldn't have. I was still naked. I closed my eyes, reliving the night. Thinking about the way he'd stroked his fingers down my body. The pressure of his body on me, the weight of his desire pressing into me.

“Wow,” I mouthed, opening my eyes again. “Breakfast is going to be awkward.”

I smiled. I didn't care. For the first time since I started working at Huntington Skies, I was excited to see Ian. I got dressed, taking a little extra time on my makeup. We had an important meeting that morning, so I chose a sleek royal blue business suit and heels. I put on gold stud earrings and a gold bracelet. I was just dressing for our business partners, obviously. I entered the hallway forty-five minutes later, feeling like a rockstar. As I was shutting the door to my room, Ian stepped out of his. Oh good. No need to wait for breakfast.

“Good morning,” I said coyly, smiling at him.

Ian glanced at me. No expression. No smile. No nod. Nothing. He shut the door to his room and walked away from me down the hall. My jaw dropped. What?

I was aware that we had made no promises last night. People touch each other during sex like there's something there emotionally, even when there isn't–it's why I usually stay away from casual sex. It's like everybody's lying about one of the most important feelings in life while taking advantage of others. I knew I'd signed up for something like that when I agreed to sleep with him. But good grief, the man owed me at least a good morning.

'He’s probably just feeling awkward,' I thought, watching him retreat down the hall. He was holding his shoulders a little stiffly. 'He doesn’t know what to say.'