I wakeup with my tongue glued to the roof of my mouth. Blinking hazily, I turn to face the peach glow of sunlight streaming through unfamiliar blinds before sitting up with a start.Where the hell am I?
I scan the unadorned walls, the rattan ceiling light, the gray comforter billowing around me. Memories of last night pour into my head like an avalanche. Drinking at The Rocking Horse. Doing shots with Dylan King. I gasp and tug the sheets up to my chin.
I’m in Dylan’s apartment…in hisbed!
I peek out at the bedroom door that’s still shut, finding no indication that he came into this room last night or attempted to remove any of the underwear I still have on.No, Jade, he wasn’t trying to hit on you; he just didn’t want you to sleep on the floor of the store.
Embarrassment crawls up my neck at the realization that he must think I’m some kind of hooch hound who spends my Friday nights getting so plastered that I can’t drive.Ugh,that’s not me at all. I’d planned to head home right after Ruby and Flynn left, but then Dylan had strolled in like a motorcycle magazine model and offered to buy me a drink, deleting that entire plan from my mind. And apparently, I’m as bad as Cindi with an “i” because I distinctly remember flirting with him all night.
Mortified, I bury my face in the comforter. I don’t know why I’d imagined his bed would smell like stale beer or cigarettes. I’ve never even seen him smoke. But all I can smell on his sheets is that musky men’s soap that may or may not haunt my dreams.
I need to stop smelling Dylan and get the hell out of here.
I kick out of the bed and throw on my sweater and jeans like the man in question might burst in at any moment. After hurriedly making the bed, I inch out into the hallway, relieved to spot my purse sitting on the kitchen counter. I tip-toe past the living room, freezing at the sight of the tall shape stretched out across the couch.
Dylan’s laying on his back with one of his arms resting across his stomach that rises and falls with the even rhythm of sleep. He’s shirtless, and my gaze slowly roams over the intricate artwork decorating his torso before trailing down to the black boxer briefs sitting low on his hips, the underwear disappearing beneath a knitted throw blanket.
I swallow hard, allowing the truth to slide into my head without fighting it.
He’s so sexy.
My purse erupts with noise at twelve thousand decibels, and I lurch to snatch it off the counter before running so fast down the stairs that I nearly skid at the bottom.
I bury my purse in my chest to smother the ringing until I burst outside onto the pavement, finding Ruby’s name flashing on the screen.
“Hey,” I say breathlessly.
“Morning. Just checking in to see if you got home okay last night.”
I rub my eyes and head past the deserted stalls lined along Main Street toward my car, ducking my head like I’m doing the walk of shame.
“Actually, I didn’t go home,” I mumble. “I…”Don’t lie to Ruby.“I stayed at the apartment next door because I didn’t want to drive. All good.”
I can picture my sister’s lips falling open. “You mean where Hayley’s brother is staying?”
“The very same.”
She turns silent as I pull out my car key and quickly unlock the door before I freeze my butt off.
“Jade,” Ruby warns.
“Nothing happened, I swear. It’s not like that. We had a few drinks, and he felt bad when I said I’d sleep at the store, so he offered to let me crash. In separate rooms, of course.”
“Phew. There are so many reasons why I wouldn’t want you hooking up with that guy.”
My brows pull together. “And what are those?”
“Well, the fact that he’s Hayley’s brother, and he’s also a lot older than you. Then there’s some not-nice stuff I’ve heard about him.”
“Yeah, well, I’ve heard those things too, and I think a lot of it is bullshit, to be honest.”
Ruby goes quiet.
I yawn, acknowledging how horrendous my mood is without coffee and with a pounding headache. “Sorry. How about we ditch the mud run and have a nice brunch somewhere with free refills instead?” I offer groggily.
She chuckles. “In my dreams, sister. You know it’s good promo for the store. See you there in an hour.”
* * *
