“Hey,” shebreathes. “Will you pick me up and put me on the bed again? I liked that.”
I grin. “As youwish.”
I pick her up andshe wraps her legs around my waist as I make my way to my bed. I set her downsoftly on the pillow and then resume kissing her as if my life depended on it.
Of course I wantmore, but I’m happy to just have this piece of her that she’s willing to give.Soon, we forget all about her laptop charging, about the TV, or episodes of TheOffice, and it’s just me and her in this room, on this bed, exploring eachother’s bodies with our clothes still on.
We make out untilour lips are swollen, and her cheek is faintly pink from the scruff of mybeard. At some point she falls asleep, and I lay here watching her for a fewminutes. She’s the most beautiful girl I’ve ever met. And if tonight is allI’ll have with her, I’ll cherish it for as long as I can.
Chapter 8
I wake up in aweird room. My sleep-addled brain knows it’s not my bedroom at home, and aftera few startled seconds, I remember that I’m at the Hilton in Phoenix, Arizona.Then, it all comes back to me.
I’m not inmyhotel room.
I’m in Gabe’s.
I freeze, thesheets pulled up to my chin as I face the nightstand on my side of the bed. Ishe still here? Is he sleeping next to me? Carefully, I roll onto my back to geta peek, but the bed is squeaky. If he is asleep next to me, I don’t want towake him up, so I move slowly. After what feels like forever, I can turn myhead enough to look. He’s here. Asleep.
Luckily, he’sfacing the opposite wall, so if he opens his eyes now he won’t see me, but hebreathes softly, his eyes closed.
Holy shit, Alexa.I can’t believe I did this. I slept in a stranger’s hotel room! This is so notlike me! If I were playing a game and had to guess the craziest thing I’d everdo at a convention, this would be the last thing I’d think of.
I roll onto my backand try to slow down my rapid breathing. I have a slight headache, which isprobably from the alcohol last night. Luckily, Gabe and I had plenty of waterto drink afterward, so I’m not hungover. Gabe sleeps soundly next to me while Ilay here and relive last night. All of the memories come back to me, and I’mboth horrified at my behavior, and a little turned on just thinking aboutmaking out with him. He’s a really good kisser. And he’s sweet.
And he stopped whenI asked him to.
I mean, seriously.What kind of guy actually does that? Most of them will beg and plead and try totalk you into sex even if you don’t want it.
I sigh, blissfullyrecalling the events of last night. As far as one night stands go, it waspretty awesome.
I lie here a bit,wishing I wasn’t still wearing my clothes from yesterday so I could fully enjoythe softness of these fancy hotel sheets. I would laugh if I didn’t need to bequiet. I did the sluttiest thing I’ve ever done, and yet I’m still wearing mypinstripe slacks and fancy business shirt from yesterday. I bet these old pantsnever knew they’d end up here after spending years in the back of my closet.
A few minutes pass,and I realize I don’t really know what to do.
First of all, Ihave to pee. This kind of thing is never addressed in the movies when girlssleep over at a guy’s place. I check the time, and it’s just before seven inthe morning. The sunlight is streaming in through the window, but it’s stillearly. Maybe I can sneak out of here. If I go to pee now, in this small hotelroom, he’ll surely hear me and wake up. Then what?
Will he want totalk? Will he be upset that I’m still here? How does a girl normally handle asituation like this?
A sinking feelingsettles into my stomach. What if this is Gabe’s M.O.? What if he’s the hotbusiness guy who travels around and hooks up with girls he meets in every city?
Ugh. That slightexcitement I felt when thinking about our make out session last night is gone.Burst like a too-big bubble. I’m not special. I’m not Gabe’s soulmate. I’m justsome random hook up.
What was Ithinking?
My urge to pee isgetting worse, and I’m not about to talk to him once he wakes up. I refuse tobe the girl who likes a guy that only wants her for one thing.
Picking up myshoes, and what’s left of my dignity, I sneakily crawl out of the bed, gratefulthat the mattress isn’t too squeaky. I grab my laptop from his charger, andtuck it under my arm, then I very carefully make my way to the hotel door.
With a deep breath,I twist the doorknob and open the door soundlessly. I slip outside, looking inboth directions first just to make sure no one is witnessing my walk of shame.The hallway is empty, and I pull the door closed quietly behind me.
Then I’m free.
I rush back to myhotel room and close and lock the door behind me. Once I’m back in here alonewith my thoughts and shame, I pee and then jump in the shower.
I feel gross. It’sbeen a whole day since the last time I showered. When I put on that outfityesterday, I was trying to look like a professional business woman. Not somefloozy who hooks up with guys in hotel bars. I’m glad the outfit is nowcrumpled up in a pile on the floor. I am not the savvy businesswoman who shouldbe wearing it. I’m just a pathetic girl who lost herself the moment a guyshowed her attention.
I was so into it,too. I’m the one who pulled him into my hotel room. I’m the one who kissed himfirst. I mean,who does that?
