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What the hell?

He’d have to get the scoop from Amy when he got home.

“Champagne?” Leila asked.

“Yeah. This is a lot more than I ever expected.”

“It’s good to have friends,” Leila smiled. “Do you care which room is yours? They both have bathrooms attached.”

“Nope, you choose. I’m going to get a fire started.”

“That sounds good.”

It didn’t take him long to have the fire going. He picked up the room service menu and saw that there was more to choose from than he would have expected from such a small hotel.

“That feels nice,” Leila said as she came out of her room. “Is that the room service menu?” She asked as she looked over his shoulder.

“Yep. Most of the meals are for two people to share.”

“Imagine that. You’re not a vegetarian, are you?” Leila asked as he handed her the menu.

“Not hardly.”

“Good. Because the chateaubriand looks yummy, especially with the mashed potatoes.”

“I’m liking this get-to-know-you part of the relationship already. That was what I was thinking, too.”

“A good midwestern boy who likes meat and potatoes, go figure.”

She brushed up against him as she put down the menu, then turned back to look at him, ensuring that they were touching, breast to chest.

“Relationship, huh?” she asked.

“Relationship?”

“You said get-to-know-you part of the relationship. Are we in a relationship, Mr. Hart?”

Linc swallowed. Then went for it. “For somebody I’ve only seen face to face maybe five times, I gotta say I’m more emotionally invested in you than I have been with any other woman in my life.”

Leila’s beautiful brown eyes widened, and he watched them turn almost black. She brought her hands up and let them rest on his chest. He felt her touch, like an electrical current, throughout his body. “You really lay it on the line, don’t you?” she asked.

“I learned early in life that life’s too short. Don’t put up with the bad, and when you find the good, hang on with your very life. It might be too early, but I’m thinking you’re my good.”

He dropped his hands so that they rested on her hips.

“Kiss me, Linc.”

He wrapped one of his arms around her lower back, then stroked the other one up her spine to her neck. He tangled his fingers through her silky hair and touched his lips to hers. Once. Twice. She sighed. Then he plundered.

She tasted a little bit like coffee, but mostly like Leila. He needed more. Her hand came up and cupped his cheek. It was a lovely feeling that made him feel cared for. Then her hand moved and pressed against the back of his neck. She needed more, too.

Leila bit his lower lip and he couldn’t help but laugh.

“You’re a hellion, aren’t you?”

“I’ve been dreaming of your bottom lip for months. Here, let me make it feel better,” she offered. Leila opened her mouth, then slowly licked his lip with her glistening tongue. Linc thought his knees would give way.

He pressed a kiss to the side of her lips, then followed a path to right behind her earlobe. He tugged at her lobe with his teeth while licking the little morsel with his tongue.