The Cabin
Page 75
I didn’t care.
Those three words were the perfect summary of how I felt about all the reasons I shouldn’t be alone with this stranger. But I still didn’t care. I wanted this more than anything I’d wanted in… since I was eight.
“Yes.”
The relief I saw in his eyes was further proof that this was right. One night. I would give myself that willingly.
I’d rather live in regret for the rest of my life for going with him than to live it in regret wishing I had. “I need to tell my friends.”
He nodded, my hand trapped between his two warm ones, his thumbs rubbing circles on my skin. “Tell them I don’t plan to have you home by midnight.”
I smiled. “I hope not, but I do have to be gone by six in the morning.”
“Early morning wedding?” I loved the teasing sound of his tone.
“Exactly.”
“I have to be at the airport by five-thirty, so…”
I glanced at my watch. “So… we better hurry.”
He leaned forward, his lips coming to my ear. “Yes. Because I don’t want to be rushed.”
The butterflies that had begun fluttering in my stomach moments before multiplied, their wings causing a tornado to whirl through my system. “I’ll be right back.”
On shaky legs, I walked to the table where my friends were sitting, trying not to grin like a fool as they all gaped at me, Amy fluttering a hand in front of her face. I grabbed my bag, attempting my best look of nonchalance. “I’ll be heading out now.”
Amy continued to gape at me. “You slut!” Then, she clapped her hands together and jumped up to give me a hug. “It’s about time.” She peeked around me at my mystery man at the bar. “And you got a winner, my friend. Like seriously, Olympic champion all-star.” She narrowed her eyes. “Do you trust him? Does he trigger any psycho buttons? He seems too perfect.” Before I could answer, I was being dragged behind her six-foot frame.
“Amy,” I hissed, but she had a good hold on my wrist. “Stop. You’re embarrassing me.”
She didn’t stop until she was face-to-face with the man I was about to go home — hotel — with. With her three-inch platforms, she was nearly eye to eye with him. “Hi, I’m Amy. And you are?”
His eyes slid to me with a grin. “Samson. Nice to meet you, Amy.”
Amy’s brows drew together but she didn’t comment on the name. “And where are you taking my friend?”
“The Hyatt down the street.”
Amy’s fists came down on her hips. “A hotel. You are dragging the most wonderful human being on the planet to a hotel?”
A high school teacher, Amy could be pretty scary at times. This was one of those times.
She didn’t seem to affect him in the least. “Well, Amy. That’s where I’m staying so I can catch an early flight tomorrow, so it’s there or…” he patted the bar beside him, “this.”
My mouth fell open, then I forced my lips shut before I laughed at Amy’s expression. Then she laughed too, seeing the humor in it all. She crossed her arms over her chest. “Okay, then. Just know that I have her on my Find My iPhone app, so don’t go dumping her into the Hudson, got it?”
Samson nodded solemnly. “I promise. Any other instructions?”
“Feed her. She probably hasn’t had anything to eat besides peanut butter crackers all day.”
She knew me so well.
He nodded. “Check. Anything else?”
Amy looked at me, her eyes softening. “Be good to her. She really is the most wonderful human being on the entire planet.”
The smile was back and his fingers linked with mine as he smiled down at me. My insides curled. My toes curled. My lips curled into a responding smile.
“That’s an easy promise to keep.”
TO BE CONTINUED...
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Alice Ward is a USA Today bestselling author whose books consistently break into the Top 100 on Amazon. Two of her books were Top 10 Amazon bestsellers, one of which - The Surprise - reached an all-time high of #4.
She writes hot and steamy contemporary romance novels and is prolific, releasing at least one new book every month. Her books are widely read, especially by women and any other lovers of the romance genre. My Stepbrother, My Lover, was her first smash hit.
Alice has been in love with love since she was a little girl. She had quite the collection of Barbie dolls growing up and spent much of her playtime crafting the perfect Barbie wedding day (and when she wasn’t doing that, she was working on attempting the perfect cartwheel).
When Alice outgrew Barbie dolls, she began to write her thoughts down in her diary. This was how she discovered that she had a knack for telling romantic stories. Her first fans were her close girlfriends, and her stories were a hit among them. They, along with her family, enthusiastically encouraged her love for writing.
Alice now lives in Miami with her wonderful, hunky husband. The beach is her all-time favorite place to relax with her laptop and write. When she needs a break from writing (and when no one’s looking) she loves thumbing through celebrity gossip magazines. It’s her guilty pleasure.
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COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2017 Alice Ward
All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.
The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of the trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.