by Ana Novak
“I always liked Coastal Cranberry,” he mused. “And cranberries in general.”
“They’re awesome, right? I’m a Mountain Blackberry girl, myself. Do you wanna go?”
“Lead the way,” he said, and I did, trying not to let my bulky suitcase put me off my game.
“So you like to dance?” he asked, falling into step beside me.
I giggled. “I hate to admit this, but I can’t dance.”
“Somehow I doubt that.”
“I can’t,” I insisted. “My…my friends say all I do is wiggle.” I’d almost said my husband.
“People pay good money to see women wiggle.”
“That is true, but I wiggle without any coordination.” I paused. “Maybe I should say that I do dance, just not well. I go out with my friends once in a while, and I’m a dance floor regular, especially after a couple of drinks. The last time I went out, I got in trouble because I took off my shoes on the dance floor. I’ll never understand clubs that don’t let girls walk around barefoot.”
“Heartless,” he agreed readily, and I laughed.
“I’m Taylor,” I said.
“Shane.” He stuck out his hand, and I shook it, still walking beside him. His hand was warm against mine.
“Where are you from, Shane?”
“Los Angeles.”
“No kidding! I’m from northern California. We’re both a long way from home.”
He nodded. “Feels like a million miles.”
My suitcase caught on a hole in the sidewalk, and I jerked to a halt. “Sorry,” I said, yanking on the handle. “I wasn’t exactly expecting to drag this around all night.”
“Want to take it back to your hotel first?”
“If I had a hotel room, I’d definitely want to do that,” I replied, and glared down at the suitcase. “My plans fell through for the night. I’m just going to take an Uber back to my friend’s apartment later.”
There was a pause, and then Shane asked, “Do you want to leave it in my hotel room?”
My breath caught, and I stared down at the sidewalk, the significance of his question hitting me hard. If I’d wanted an opportunity to make my move, this was it.
He spoke quickly, misreading the reason for my hesitation. “You don’t have to, sweetheart. I’m not trying to get you up to my room. I’m just saying, if you don’t want to pull it around all night...”
“I really don’t,” I said, trying not to grin and failing. “Did you just call me sweetheart?”
Shane had the decency to blush. “My hotel is right over there,” he said, and nodded to a building across the street, diagonally situated from us. “We can go up, ditch the suitcase, go for dessert. Five minutes, tops. Okay?”
The combination of his awkward blush and unexpected chivalry was sweet, and it gave me that extra boost of confidence I’d been looking for. “That depends,” I answered, looking up at him from beneath my eyelashes. “What kind of dessert are we talking about?”
As the meaning behind my words registered, a slow smile spread across his face, accompanied by a darker and downright adorable blush that the streetlights did absolutely nothing to hide. “I’m willing to talk options.”
His reaction was charming, an unexpected response from someone who almost certainly had to be accustomed to fending off advances from women regularly. I took his arm when he offered it, and we crossed the street together.
“Good evening, Mr. Kruger,” the doorman said as we walked inside.
“John.” Shane seemed completely nonplussed, both by the doorman’s familiarity and the ensuing chorus of greetings from the front desk staff.
We stopped in front of the elevator, and he pushed the arrow button. I looked over my shoulder, unsurprised to see that the women behind the front desk were staring at me, making no attempt to hide their curiosity.
“They know you by name?” I asked Shane.
“I guess so.” He turned, following my gaze, before catching my eye with a knowing smile. “I attract the chatty ones.”
“Hey, now. I owe tonight’s bravery entirely to liquid courage. Any other night and I’d still be lusting after you from afar.” The snappy comeback was out of my mouth before I could stop it. I watched Shane’s face for a reaction, but there was no change in his expression. His dark eyes locked with mine, and I felt my mouth go dry from a sudden bout of nervousness. As gorgeous as he was, I still wasn’t sure if I could go through with this.
The elevator doors opened, and he guided me inside, pressing the button for the thirtieth floor.
The elevator began to move, and we stood in silence for several long moments. I stared at myself in the mirrored doors, my heart sinking as I compared myself to Dave’s rail thin boss. My lace cardigan was still tied around my waist, nipping my dress in at the waist and emphasizing the generous flare of my hips. Most of my hair, no longer sleek and straight but frizzing in the humidity, had already escaped from its messy ponytail, and my eyes were wide, dark and frightened against my pale skin and the ash blonde of my hair. I pulled out the ponytail holder, snapping it onto my wrist before looking at Shane’s reflection and realizing he was staring right back at me. Something was different about his expression, but I couldn’t pinpoint what it was.
“Let’s get this out of the way,” he said, and turned toward me. I turned to face him, and when his hands came up to frame my face, my eyelids fluttered shut as if by instinct.
Our lips touched, softly at first, a mere graze of his mouth against mine. His hands were warm. One pressed firmly against my cheek while the other slid back to tangle in my hair.
The pressure from his mouth became firmer. His tongue traced my lower lip, and I opened my mouth, welcoming him in. His fingers became a gentle caress against my cheek before sweeping up to my temple.
My hands moved of their own accord, sliding up his chest to wrap my arms around his neck. His other hand left my hair to curl around my waist and pull me closer to him. I could feel his heartbeat hammering against my collarbone.
I didn’t want the kiss to end, but when the ding of the elevator doors interrupted our impromptu makeout session, we both jumped apart like a firecracker had gone off. My back connected with the mirrored wall, and I teetered on my heels, grabbing onto the railing to keep myself upright.
Shane stood in front of me, his breaths short and sharp. He looked just as surprised as I felt. There’d been chemistry between us before, sure, but that kiss…
If I’d had doubts before about where this night was headed, they were gone now.
Chapter 2
I swallowed hard. “You have your room key?” I asked, and he nodded. He didn’t offer me his arm again, instead taking my suitcase, retracting the handle and picking the entire thing up. I followed behind him when he stepped out of the elevator, pausing outside to take off my heels. I was feeling none too steady on my feet, and I didn’t want to trip and fall on my face.
He took my free hand once I’d liberated myself from the stiletto sandals. He didn’t speak as he pulled me down the hall, not even when he finally reached his room and pulled out the card key. Mute with shock and desire, I began to process what was happening in a short, staccato series of images.
Shane slid the card key into the lock.
The green light flashed.
He opened the door, but did not enter.
He glanced at me, and I tried very hard to look like I was not openly lusting after a total stranger in the hallway of his hotel.
“Taylor,” he said, and his words were clipped. “I don’t usually do this.”
He’s having second thoughts, I realized suddenly. Please don’t let him say no now. I’d die of embarrassment.
“You don’t offer to let a strange girl leave her suitcase in your room?” I forced myself to respond, making a deliberate attempt to lighten the mood. “I’m sure you’re not alone there.”
I could see some of the tension leave his expression, his shoulders relaxing slightly. “You know what I mean.
”
“I do,” I said. I paused, considering. I should have felt ashamed for trying to seduce a man who wasn’t my husband, but at the moment, all I felt was embarrassment that I was taking advantage of this poor guy who’d had the misfortune to end up next to me at the exact moment I was looking for a one night stand.
“If you don’t want to do this,” I said gently, putting a hand on his arm, “I understand.”
Shane looked at me, a smile curving his lips. Then he laughed. “If I don’t want to do this? Are you kidding?”
He pushed open the door, tossing my suitcase inside, and grabbed me around the waist with his free hand. I steadied myself with my hands on his shoulders as he swept me into the room. The door hadn’t even shut before he had me pressed up against the wall, kissing my neck.
“I’m guessing you want to skip dessert?” I asked breathlessly, pulling his hat off and tossing it away.
“This is dessert,” he said, and claimed my mouth with his as he shrugged out of his jacket.
I moaned against his lips, and his hands moved down to grab my ass, pulling me flush against him. The hardness of his cock was hot against my belly, and my mind was suddenly screaming against me that this was real, that this was happening, and that the desire I felt for this stranger was dangerously close to consuming me. I’d felt numb for so long, but something inside me had awakened at his touch.
We stumbled across the floor, and Shane pulled me down on top of him as he fell back onto the bed. His fingers dug into my thighs, pulling me up so I was straddling him. I could feel how slick I was already, wetness seeping through my panties as I ground against him. I bit his lower lip, gently at first and then with my teeth, and he growled, one hand moving up to bury itself in my hair. I felt him grab a handful, pulling hard enough to make me groan.
The alcohol, combined with the intensity of the situation, was starting to take hold in earnest now. Warmth was spreading through my body, my limbs hot and loose. Shane’s free hand moved up and down my side, yanking my lace cardigan from my waist and moving up to cup my breast.
He tore his mouth from mine and flipped me over, rolling on top of me. For a moment he paused, looking down at me. I was still in a haze, but I met his eyes with a smile, wanting him to know that I was definitely enjoying myself.
“You’re fucking beautiful,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Ooh. I ran my fingers down the back of his arm, feeling the definition of his muscles through his shirt, and he shivered at my touch.
“Keep talking,” I said. “You just might get lucky.”
Shane laughed at that, and leaned down to drop a kiss on my collarbone. I felt his hands at the hem of my dress, and I arched my back to help him remove it. He pulled the entire thing over my head, throwing it across the room. His shirt went next, and in his haste to rid himself of his clothing, a button popped off and hit my chest. That sent me into a fit of giggles, but he silenced me with another kiss before moving to my neck.
My hands roamed his body, exploring the contours of his torso. My fingers encountered a rough patch on his chest. “Knife fight?” I asked playfully, rubbing my thumb over the scar.
He moved up to press his mouth to mine again. “Knife fight,” he confirmed, and the stubble on his jaw tickled my cheek. “In high school.”
I blinked. “Wait. Are you serious?”
He propped himself up on his elbows above me, grinning. “Mean streets of L.A.”
I reached up to pull him to me, kissing him fiercely. “Okay, now that’s pretty hot,” I said, and he chuckled. He eased down my body, his lips worshiping my breasts, my stomach, and my thighs before he stood and reached for his belt.
I sat up and scooted towards him, and my legs dangled off the edge of the bed. I didn’t know if it was the Long Island Iced Teas or just the fact that I wanted him so badly, but any awkwardness I had felt about being nearly naked in front of a total stranger had disappeared. I helped him unbuckle his belt and push down his pants, and his cock sprang into my hands.
“Holy shit,” I said before I could stop myself.
It had been almost a decade since I’d seen any man naked other than Dave, and looking at Shane at right now was an entirely different experience in size and girth. I glanced up at him, seeing the smile curving his lips. “Holy shit,” I said again, my mind incapable of forming coherent thought.
Shane had pulled his wallet out of his pocket before kicking off his pants, and he pulled out a small foil packet now. As he ripped it open, he leaned down and sucked my lower lip into his mouth, pushing me back against the mattress again. When he finished putting the condom on, he shifted, and I felt his thick cock pushing insistently against me. The feeling of his tongue dancing against mine was almost incredible enough to distract me when he yanked my panties down swiftly.
“Take me,” I gasped against his lips. “Please.”
His fingers were gliding through my slick folds, finding the hardened center of my desire as he pushed into me. He was big, so big it hurt, but he took his time, moving slowly, kissing me with every gentle thrust.
After several long moments, he rocked his hips forward, burying himself to the hilt, and I inhaled sharply. I’d never been with anyone so big, and it felt like he was touching places inside me that I hadn’t even known existed before now.
“Fuck, you’re tight,” he whispered, and began to pull back. I whimpered, but then he pushed into me again and the whimper turned to a moan.
He grabbed my hips and withdrew, then sheathed himself all the way inside me again before he began to fuck me in deep, powerful thrusts. Before I knew what was happening, he was grabbing my legs and lifting them so my ankles were up over his shoulders. When his hand found my clit again, rolling it between his fingers, I bucked wildly against him. He drove into me faster and deeper, the rhythm unrelentingly pushing me toward completion.
When my orgasm rolled over me, it was like a strike of lightning, and I cried out, shivering and clenching as he continued to pump into me. It wasn’t long before Shane stiffened against me, his breath hitching hotly against my ankle as he came.
After a few moments, he slowly withdrew, leaning down to kiss me softly before pulling away.
I lay still, the reality of what I’d done washing over me. I’d never come that fast before. After so many years of participating in mediocre sex, I suddenly felt like a rockstar. I’d had no idea it could be like this.
Shane collapsed on the bed next to me. His breathing had slowed now, and I wondered if he was waiting for me to leave.
“I, um, I should go,” I said, sitting up and adjusting my bra. “I need to catch an Uber.”
“What? Don’t leave,” he said immediately. He grabbed my arm and pulled me back down beside him. “Stick around for round two.”
He had no way of knowing, but that was exactly what I’d wanted to hear.
“Round two?” I said, raising an eyebrow as I rolled onto my side to face him. “What makes you think there’ll be a round two?”
Shane smiled. “Trust me, sweetheart. There’ll be a round two.” He leaned toward me, and I closed my eyes, savoring the taste of his lips.
When I woke up the next morning, Shane was lying with his back to me, his breathing deep and even. There was a gap in the blackout curtains at the window, and early morning sunlight streamed in, slashing a beam of white across the bedsheets.
I stared for several moments at his back, at the solidness of his broad shoulders, and something in my stomach fluttered dangerously. He was gorgeous, no doubt about it, and last night…last night had been absolutely incredible. We’d had round two and three, and even though I hadn’t moved yet, I already knew I’d be sore.
What should I do now? Was this really just a one night stand?
It doesn’t have to be complicated, my inner voice piped up helpfully. It doesn’t have to be anything at all.
But I want it to be, I thought, scaring myself with the ferocity of my response.
&n
bsp; I had a meeting with Rhonda, my agent, at nine-thirty, and the clock said it was already almost eight. With that thought, I eased out of bed and began searching for my clothes. I couldn’t find my panties, but my dress had been flung into a corner.
I locked myself in the bathroom and opened my suitcase to pull out the maxi skirt and eyelet tank I’d packed the day before. I went through my morning routine as quietly as I could, brushing my teeth, washing my face, and smoothing my hair, which had given up all hope at sleekness halfway through round two, into a ponytail.
When I was done, I sat on the edge of the massive whirlpool tub. Shane had been an amazing distraction, but I had to worry about my real life, too. It was now the morning after I’d told Dave I wanted a divorce, and I had to decide what my next steps would be.
When I’d moved in with Mistral almost four months ago, it was supposed to be temporary. Dave had revealed an affair with a woman he’d met on Tinder. The knowledge had hurt, but I’d tried to appreciate his honesty. The reality was, however, that our marriage had already been over for a very long time, and neither of us had wanted to admit it. Since I’d left, my life had been a blur of frustration, both with my relationship and my lack of progress on the edits for my latest novel. Last night’s events had left no doubt in my mind. Dave and I were over. Maybe if I put my failed marriage behind me, then the stress and aggravation that had stalled my writing would disappear, too.
Shane was still sound asleep when I opened the door. I’d never had a one night stand before, and I had no idea what the appropriate etiquette was for the morning after. Did I wake him up? Leave him a note? What would I even say? “Thanks for the mind-blowing sex, hope to see you around?”
Before I could lose my nerve, I took the notepad of hotel stationery from the nightstand. I had fun, I wrote. Sorry we missed out on karaoke. After only a moment of hesitation, I added my phone number underneath. He probably wouldn’t call anyway, but it felt wrong leaving him with no way to get in touch with me.
I allowed myself a last look at his rugged face, feeling my heart flip flop a little. I wanted to trace my fingers along his cheekbones, place a kiss on those full lips. If I was being honest with myself, I was leaving my number because I wanted to see him again. Soon. Preferably tonight, or tomorrow, or maybe every night in the foreseeable future.