Sure Thing(16)
That’s the tagline for Sutton Travel. Let the Journey Begin. I think it’ll get me a smile but she just looks at me like I’m an idiot.
“Listen, Jennings.” She takes a deep breath and shifts her eyes away from mine. “I’m sorry about last night.”
She’s sorry?
“I didn’t realize you’d be on this tour,” she continues in a rush. “I hope this won’t be too awkward.”
“Why would it be awkward?”
Her eyes fly back to mine with her brows raised in disbelief. They’re the deepest blue framed by thick dark lashes. She’s so very lovely.
“Um, because you’ve seen me naked?”
My lips slide into a lazy grin as I take in her earnest expression and the slight blush on her cheeks. “Indeed, I have seen you naked, love,” I agree while running my gaze slowly over her head to toe and back again. “Nothing awkward about that at all,” I add as she fidgets and the blush on her face surpasses slight. “But I thought you normally saw the men you slept with more than once, so seeing me again shouldn’t be an issue for you, should it?”
Her eyes flare as she realizes I most certainly heard that little tidbit about being her only one-night stand. I grin while she scowls.
“But not at work,” she whispers. “And not without knowing their last names and stuff,” she adds with a little shake of her head. “This is already a disaster,” she says more to herself than for my benefit.
“Jennings Anderson,” I offer while holding out my hand. “And I like steak, hate popcorn and love puppies. Now you know my name and some things about me.” Some, but not all. Not the part she’d find most interesting.
She tilts her head and narrows her eyes before speaking. Dubious. That’s what I’d call the look on her face. Dubious. “Yes, well, Jennings, if you’ll excuse me I have a job to do.” She nods at the room behind me where the tour guests are dining.
“By all means, love,” I agree, moving aside and holding a hand up in the direction of the restaurant. “I’ll let you get back to work then. Wouldn’t dream of distracting you from your job,” I add with a wink.
“You already are,” she mumbles as she moves past.
If only she knew exactly how much I want to be her distraction. Every night. All week. Yes, Miss Daisy Hayden, you have no idea how distracted you’re about to be.
CHAPTER NINE
Violet
Well, last night was a clusterfuck. That’s my first thought when I wake up this morning. Cluster. Fuck. My alarm hasn’t even sounded and I’m already awake and thinking about being stuck with my one-night stand for a week. Seven nights and eight days to be specific. Yay me.
How does this happen? I mean really, why does this stuff happen to me? I set out to have a slutty one-nighter and I end up with a guy I’m stuck with for a week. And I’ll probably sleep with him again, so there goes my only one-night stand. Assuming he wants to sleep with me again, but I think he does. He seemed to enjoy himself last night and if I’m being honest, there’s not a whole lot of competition this week. Most of the women on this trip are married or over sixty. Plus he looked amused as hell when he followed me into the hallway last night, during the welcome dinner. Of course he could pick up someone not on this trip in the evenings. Like he picked me up last night. Or did I pick him up? No, all I did was smile at him for three seconds. He sent the drink and joined me, so I guess there’s that. But anyway, I think he’s probably interested in a repeat.
So if I sleep with him again can I still count this? When I’m fifty and having drinks with girlfriends and reminiscing about our misspent youths, would it be cheating to say, ‘Oh, yes, I had a one-night stand once. With a hot British guy. I even gave him a fake name. The entire thing was quite provocative?’
Good Lord, I’m an idiot. Like I’d use the word ‘provocative’ in casual conversation. And I only gave a fake name because I was impersonating my sister and I didn’t want to give him her name, because that would be weird.
Oh, fuck.
Fuckity fuck!
I sit straight up in bed and stare at the blank television across from the bed. I can’t sleep with him again now that he thinks my name is Daisy. I mean, what if he calls me Daisy while we’re having sex? Nope. Just no way.
I think I’m gonna cry. I’m trapped on a week-long tour with Magic Mouth and I can’t even enjoy it. Why does the universe hate me? Why? I flop back onto the bed with a loud and annoyed groan before snatching my cell off the bedside table to check the time. Looks like I might as well get up. My alarm is set for half an hour from now and I’m sure as heck not going to fall back asleep now.