The waiter appeared with her drink and whirled away again before she could thank him. She sipped, twirled the lime wedge around with her straw and let her gaze drift surreptitiously to the couples seated around her.
Fifteen minutes passed, then twenty. At eight-thirty she began to tap her straw on the edge of her glass. At eight forty-five she grabbed her purse and fished out her wallet. A twenty should cover the overpriced drink and a tip, she thought. So much for the perfect guy. John, as it turned out, wasn’t even Punctual Guy.
Before the twenty dollars hit the table, a shadow fell across the creamy tablecloth. Finally here? Audrey looked up, and her breath caught.
Max stood beside the table, dressed in a charcoal suit and tie and a dark wine-colored shirt. His gaze held not a hint of mockery or the hurt she’d seen in his eyes at the hospital. All she saw there now was desire.
She opened her mouth to speak, but he held up a hand. “Before you say anything, let me apologize. I’m sorry for what I said at the hospital. I was an idiot. All I could think about was you out with someone else, giving some other guy the chance to make you smile or laugh, and I couldn’t deal with it. I hope you’ll agree to have dinner with me tonight and…maybe every night from here on in?”
“I…” Of course! Yes! Her brain formed the words, but her mouth was still in shock. “What did you do with John?” Oh, God, was that the wrong question to ask?
Max only smiled. “I paid him to get lost.”
“What?”
“He’s actually a really cool guy, very understanding. When I told him I was in love with you and I couldn’t let any other man think for a moment that he had a shot with you, he completely understood.”
Fortunately Audrey was sitting down, because at that moment her knees would have buckled. “You’re in love with me?”
“I know it sounds a little creepy, but—”
“No, no. I’m…I…”
“You don’t have to say it.” Max sat across from her. “Just listen. If I had known you, if I had ever seen you before the night Cassie accidentally set us up, I would have wanted you. I would have demanded she fix us up. I’ve been a wiseass, I admit that. It’s my nature. I hope you can get used to it, because I’m not likely to change too much, but one thing that changed for me the minute I walked away from you the other night was how I see the future. I can’t see it without you in it. I know we haven’t known each other very long, but I don’t think that matters. Have dinner with me. Let me give you the first date you deserved and all the second dates you’ll ever want.”
Audrey’s vision misted a bit, and she chanced smudging her mascara to dab at the corners of her eyes. “Oh…okay.”
“Perfect.”
*
Max was certain his heart would beat out of his chest the moment he saw Audrey in her little black dress and those heart-stopping heels. She looked like an exotic heiress sitting at the fancy table, toying with the soda straw. Now she sat before him, laughing and smiling only for him, with him, because he was the one she’d chosen, not because anyone had set them up. She had no idea what her every move was doing to him.
“I have to admit, I’m still a little jealous that you dressed up so much for your date. That dress is…”
“It was for you, knucklehead. I was planning on thanking John for a lovely dinner, and heading right to your place to tell you I wasn’t interested in him.”
“But what if you had been…interested in him?”
She winked one seductive eye, made green by the shimmering eye shadow she wore. “I’d have brought him along.”
“Shrewd, Iron Audrey, very shrewd.”
She showed him one of her stiletto heels. “Later on, I’ll explain to you exactly how I got that nickname.”
Max shivered a little. The night just got better and better. “I’m strangely intrigued. Can I order you some dessert?”
She licked her lips and shook her head. “Let’s save something sweet for later. Why don’t we go back to my place?”
“Sorry, not tonight.” He had to fight to keep the glee out of his voice.
She pouted. “Why? Do you have a headache?”
“No, I have a room. Here.” He brought the key card out of his jacket pocket where it had been burning a hole all night.
“Here? The rooms here are…pricey.”
“And I hear they’re gorgeous too. Let’s go find out.” He signaled the waiter who brought the check for him to sign, and the concierge brought Audrey’s coat which Max carried over his arm.
She followed him to the lobby and to the elevators, which rose four stories, giving views of an inside atrium on the far side. Audrey gasped as they shot upward. “It’s amazing.” Fountains in the secondary atrium danced with colored water and shimmery crystal nets. It looked like a wonderland.
“The view from here is pretty spectacular.”
She peeked at him over her shoulder and actually blushed. “I like this Max. The serious one. He’s very sexy.”
“I like this Audrey, the demure one. She’s melting the buttons off my shirt. Come here.” He pulled her into his embrace and kissed her until the elevator doors opened. The scent of flowers surrounded them, and he waltzed her out into the silent corridor for the short walk to their room.
“I can’t believe you did all this for a second date. It’s magnificent.”
“Let’s save the compliments for later. I’ve got a lot more to show you.” He opened the room and led her inside. He turned on the lights, bathing the room in a dim amber glow that offset the rich gold and chestnut décor. The king-size bed, set with a pure white duvet and a dozen pillows, shimmered with a cascade of pink and red rose petals.
Audrey covered her lips with her fingers. “When did you do this?”
“I had housekeeping do it.” He showed her an ice bucket where a bottle of champagne cooled. The cork had been recently popped, and bubbles still spilled out the top. He poured two fluted glasses and handed her one. “There’s a gorgeous balcony, but in this weather, it might be best if we keep the French doors closed.”
“Oh my god, Max. This has to be the best room in the place. Is this the presidential suite?”
He laughed. “Not even close, actually. The presidential suite would have cost us both a year’s salary. I’m magnificent, but I’m not independently wealthy. This is just a standard room, believe it or not.”
“Wow. It’s the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen. It’s perfect.”
He clinked his glass to hers. “To perfection. Even if it’s only for one night.”
She clinked back. “Now, tell me more about how magnificent you are.”
“Only if you tell me why they really call you Iron Audrey.”
She raised one stiletto heel and set her toes on the edge of the bed, giving him a heart-stopping view of her leg. “Maybe you’d better have a few more drinks first. You might not be ready for that yet.”
He took her in his arms and kissed her until she wobbled. “I’m ready for anything.”
Chapter Thirteen
Audrey’s fingers shook as she unbuttoned Max’s shirt. She still couldn’t believe she was here with him, ready to tumble onto a bed of rose petals. How had she gotten so lucky?
He smiled at her, his eyes deep and dark in the low light of the posh hotel room. “Let me help you.” He gently set her hands by her sides and finished the task of opening his shirt, one delicious button at a time. She watched, licking her lips in anticipation, and nearly fainted when he pulled the shirt open, revealing his perfectly sculpted abs and chest.
He took her in his arms and kissed her lips, her jawline, her shoulder, slipping the neckline of her dress down just an inch to nibble at the sensitive skin above her collarbone.
Her zipper fell to his skillful hands, and seconds later, her dress plummeted to the floor. She kicked it away with her heel and lifted one ankle to remove her shoe. He stopped her. “Leave those on.”
“O…kay.” Her breathing quickened, and
in a moment she was lightheaded. He lowered her to the bed, crushing rose petals beneath her nearly naked body.
“I wish I had a camera right now,” he said, taking a moment to gaze at her as she stretched on the fluffy duvet, rose petals tickling her thighs and her back. “But I could never show anyone the pictures.”
“Maybe we can take a few art shots one of these days. You know, just for us.”
“If you keep talking like that, I’m not going to make it to the magnificent part, sweetheart.”
She struck a sensual pose for him, pouty lips and wild hair. “Oh, tell me how the camera loves me. Tell me to make love to the lens—”
“Stop, I swear…” He sloughed off his pants and threw himself on the bed. Rose petals flew everywhere, and she laughed as they bounced.
“I could get used to this very easily.”
“What, sleeping on rose petals or sleeping with me?”
“Who’s going to be doing any sleeping?” She pulled him to her and kissed him, then maneuvered herself on top of him. “Now, let’s talk about Iron Audrey.”
“Yes, Nurse.”
In a moment, she was naked, and so was he. He’d remembered condoms, and she raised a brow as he put one on. “Pretty confident you’d get me this far, weren’t you?”
“Well, I figured if you said no, there’s a cute cocktail waitress in the lounge who—”
She hit him with one of the dozen pillows, which promptly burst, scattering small downy feathers everywhere. Audrey gasped, nearly choking on a feather, and they stared at each other as the innards of the popped pillow settled around them like snow.
“Hey, at least nothing caught fire and neither one of us has a concussion,” Max said.
Audrey eyed the ornate headboard of the bed. “Yet.”
“You’re scaring me a little.”
She laughed and tapped the heel of her stiletto. “Iron Audrey says, Be quiet and prepare to be boarded.”
* * * *
Hours later, Audrey lay sated, floating on a cloud of rose-scented feathers. Max lay beside her, teasing her with his fingertips and brushing a petal softly across the underside of her breasts. She shuddered every time he moved, still lost in the last waves of a third orgasm—or maybe the fourth. She’d lost count and didn’t care. There’d always be more.
She hummed softly to herself and grinned as his lips replaced the edge of the rose petal.
The flutelike notes of her ringtone interrupted their blissful rest, and she groaned. “Who could that be? Everyone I know knows I’m on a date.”
“Maybe it’s the hospital,” Max said, his smile fading. She sat up and kissed him quickly. “I’m not on call, but you never know.” She rolled along the bed to the edge and grabbed her purse from the nightstand. The phone tumbled out onto the floor, and she had to vault over the side to retrieve it. Max hauled her back onto the bed by one ankle.
“Careful there, no head injuries tonight.”
“Gotcha.” She checked caller ID. It was Cassandra. “It’s your cousin.”
“Ignore it. We can give her the details tomorrow.”
“No.” Audrey sat up, wrapping part of the voluminous duvet around her just because it seemed odd to answer the phone completely naked. “I’d better talk to her. Hey, Cassie, what’s up?”
“What’s up? The date— It’s after midnight. Are you still with John?”
Audrey tipped the phone so Max could hear. “Um…let’s just say the date isn’t over yet.”
Cassie gasped. “Really? You mean you two hit it off?”
“Oh, yes…we hit it off all right.”
“Wow. I’m…glad I guess. So you found the perfect guy?”
Audrey winked at Max. “Yes, I absolutely did, thanks to you.”
“Hmm. I’m sort of sorry it wasn’t Max. I guess I should tell him.”
“Good idea, hold on, he’s right here.” Audrey handed the phone to Max.
“Hey, Cass, what’s up?”
“Are you two…what’s going on? You’re putting me on, aren’t you?”
“We are.” He laughed. “I ditched Appendix Guy and took what I wanted for myself. Audrey’s all mine, and I guess that means the point does go to you. You can put another notch in your bedpost, or wherever you’re keeping score.”
“Really? You guys are together?”
Max looked at Audrey and twined his fingers with hers. “We’re completely together, and everything is just perfect.”
THE END
Mixed up in March
Chapter One
Icy slush splattered on Emmy as she reached for the handle of her suitcase. The cold, semi-hard drops of dirty, half-melted city snow plinked against her coat and slid down to land on the tips of her suede boots. She cringed. “Could this day get any worse?” she asked herself, just daring the universe to heap something else on her.
Between flight delays for her trip from Spring River Valley to New York City, the smelly cab ride, and the back ache she was going to have from dragging her luggage around, she’d reached her wit’s end. At least her hotel was four steps away, and a nice hot bath in a Jacuzzi tub awaited, along with room service and a good night’s sleep before she got to spend the day at the noisy, crowded Ad Expo at the Convention Center.
She gathered her bags and made her way to the revolving door of the hotel, struggled her way inside, and crossed the lobby. The woman at the desk offered her a tired smile, one that Emmy returned in kind.
“Can I help you, miss?”
“Reservations, Bartoli.”
The woman checked her computer, but before she turned her attention back to Emmy another uniformed hotel employee appeared behind her and tapped her on the shoulder. “Can you check this print out? We’re having a problem with the—”
“Hang on just a sec, I’m checking someone in.”
Emmy kept her smile in place even as the wet chill of the slush seeped through her boots. Patience. Patience.
The two employees argued for a minute over the printout in question. “I’m sorry,” the woman said finally, a hint of professional exasperation in her tone. “This will just take a minute.”
“Sure.” Patience. All Emmy wanted to do was throw her luggage in the corner, strip off her travel clothes, and sink into that hot tub pictured in the hotel brochure. Her cell phone rang while she waited, and she figured it wouldn’t be rude to answer since the hotel clerk was busy messing around with the computer and glaring at her coworker.
“Hey, Evie.” Guilt washed over Emmy. She hadn’t called her friend when her plane landed as she’d promised. “Sorry I didn’t get back to you.”
“So you made it?”
“Yeah, despite the terrible weather. I thought March was supposed to be springtime in the city.”
“Well, maybe in New York City, but not here. It’s still snowing.”
“I’m knee deep in slush. I’m just checking into the hotel. How’s Pauly?”
“He’s fine. I’m giving him his dinner now, but you’re out of paper towels. Where do you keep them?”
“In the garage, but be careful. Don’t let Pauly follow you in there. There’s a hole in the wall where an old vent used to be, and he likes to climb inside it.”
“Okay, I’ll be careful.”
“Tell him I said hi.”
“He says meow.”
Emmy laughed. “Thanks for watching him for me. I can’t believe I have to come all the way to New York to listen to ad pitches. It’s such a waste of time.”
“Hey, you’re getting paid, and you’re staying in a fancy hotel. Don’t knock it.”
“I’m knockin’ it. I’m—oh, gotta go, my room is ready. See ya in a couple of days.” Emmy hung up just as the hotel clerk handed over a key card.
“I’m sorry for the delay, miss. We’re swamped because of the Expo, and we’re having computer problems.”
“It’s fine. As long as I’ve got a room, I’m happy.”
“Your room is on the seventh floor. Take t
hese elevators up and make a left when you exit.”
Emmy grabbed the key. “Thanks.” She headed for the elevators and rode up to the seventh floor, humming to the Muzak, her mind on mountains of bubbles and waves of hot water. Why couldn’t these Ad Expos be held in warmer climates? She’d have happily gone to Miami or Barbados…but no. She had to take a one-hour flight to a city she could drive to in seven hours to listen to pitches for an ad campaign from half a dozen companies, some of which were closer to Spring River Valley than New York City was. It seemed like a waste of money to her, but as Evie said, she was getting paid, so why not make the best of it?
She found her room with no problem and let herself in. The bedside light was already on, giving the place a cozy glow. It sounded like the heat was on also, blowing a steady stream of warm air through the room. This was service. Finally letting the tension in her shoulders dissipate, she tossed her purse and carry-on across the fluffy queen-size bed, set her suitcase down in the middle of the room, and stripped off her coat. She rummaged in her bag for the lilac-scented bubble bath she’d brought with her and kicked off her soggy boots.
Just as she turned around, the bathroom door opened. Panic left Emmy mute and frozen to the spot as a puff of steam escaped into the room followed by the glistening muscular physique of a completely naked man.
She threw her bubble bath at him and screamed.
*
Jared Barton had only a split second to register the projectile aimed at his genitals. He reached down to protect the family jewels and took the flying plastic bottle to the nose instead. He stumbled back toward the bathroom, stunned more by the woman screaming at him than by the blow to the face.
“Ow! Holy crap…what…who the hell are you?”
“Me? This is my room—what are you doing naked in my room?” She lunged across the bed and grabbed the hotel phone. “I’m calling security.”
“Good, great. Oh my god, my nose! I think it’s bleeding. What’s with you?”
Spring River Valley: The Winter Collection (Boxed Set) Page 17
