“Oh, I insist. Shall we?” I indicate he should follow me along the hallway, ignoring how much I like the scent of his colognewhen I get within a few feet of him. Does he have to smell so good? Can he not have one thing that helps me be repulsed by him—aside from the fact he’s a heartless asswipe, obviously? But unfortunately, my hormones don’t appear to react to that quite as sensitively as they do to his inappropriately intoxicating scent.
I can no longer keep the grin from my face when we get to the cabin’s second bedroom and I push open the door—revealing a state-of-the-art sex dungeon, complete with blacked-out windows, blood-red painted walls, an entire wall of floggers, whips and handcuffs and the pièce de résistance—a swing hanging from the center of the ceiling.
“What the actual fuck?” Chase’s shocked gasp makes me giggle, and I press a hand over my mouth to stifle it.
He steps into the room, spinning around with his mouth hanging open. “What the fuck is this place, Addie?”
“I believe the brochure describes it as an ‘Aladdin’s cave of sexual pleasure that will satisfy all your needs.’” I lean against the door jamb. “Surely, you’ve seen a sex dungeon before, no?”
His eyes land on mine, his face a delightful picture of confusion and horror. “What. The. Fuck?” he says again.
“Your vocabulary has seriously diminished since you moved to LA, Chase. You said that already.”
He ignores the barb. “Why the hell did you book a cabin with a sex dungeon?”
I could tell him that the sex dungeon was inconsequential and the location was its only selling point, but he doesn’t need to know that. Instead, I steel myself and roll back my shoulders. “Why do you think?”
He winces, like he’s disgusted by the idea of me having sex or using any of the equipment in here. Of course he is, because I’m his best friend’s annoying kid sister. The one hethrew a boneto. Why would any guy want to do anything like that with me, huh?That painful memory claws its way to the surface and I push it away. This should be about enjoying the look on Chase’s face as he realizes he’ll have to sleep on a sex swing.
“I mean, it looks kind of comfy. Like a hammock?” I offer.
He runs a finger over one of the leather straps and wrinkles his nose. “I wonder how many people have fucked on this thing?”
Ugh. I don’t want to think about that actually.
His eyes lock on mine and they narrow a little, enough so I notice. “If you’re going to fuck on a sex swing, Addie, you should really consider getting one of your own.”
What now? My knees tremble. “What makes you think I don’t have one? Couldn’t exactly pack it up with all the flowers and bring it, could I?”
His jaw tics. “I guess you won’t be needing either this one or your own this week now.”
Asswipe! Obviously, he knows I just got dumped. I wish he also knew that I’m not even a little sad about it, and I don’t need his pity. “I guess not.”
He glances at the swing again. “Looks like I’ll be sleeping on the sofa then.”
I snort. “Looks like. I’ll think about you when I’m lying in my three hundred thread count Egyptian cotton sheets and curled up beneath the goose-down duvet.”
He arches a brow. “Oh, I have no doubt you’ll be thinking about me, Firefly.”
Firefly? How dare he use that cute little pet name for me after everything he did, but hang on, what? Why is he being so cocky…Dammit! “I didn’t mean…” I screw my eyes closed. I want to face-palm myself, but I take a breath and work to regain my composure. When I open my eyes again, he’s staring at me with a wicked grin on his face. “My only thoughts about you, Chase Hunter, are…very not nice.” Wow! Way to go, Addie! Burn!
He laughs darkly. “Hmm, I expect they’re real naughty.”
What! Holy firecrackers I need to get away from him. He turns my usually sharp brain into a blunt instrument. Maybe it’s the abs. Or the cocksure smile. Or the outline of his…
“You wish, asshole!” is the snappiest retort I can think of, that along with turning on my heel and removing myself from his orbit.
I will survive these next four days.
I will not fall for Chase’s easy charm.
I will not stare into those bright blue eyes and remember how good of a kisser he is.
I will not make another Chase-Hunter-sized mistake.
Chapter 6
Chase
