AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Oh my god. I… well, obviously, I thought I’d grabbed a tube of paint.”
Mason sits back and laughs, and even as embarrassed as I am, I can’t help but notice how the way his eyes crinkle just a little at the corners, making him even more handsome.
“And what do you use it for?” he asks.
A million things go through my mind. Cooking. Greasing elbows. Grouting my bathroom tiles. But I can’t manage to get out anything but the truth.
“Um, basically what you just said. I was enjoying myself last night and it … well, I must have misplaced it after my personal session.”
With that, Mason leans over the table, takes my face between two big hands, and kisses me. I suck in a deep breath, my eyes widening at the shock, but then the feeling of his mouth pressed to mine begins to warm my skin in a whole new way, I close my eyes and kiss him back. He’s incredible, and his mouth is hot and insistent on my own.
When he pulls back, my eyes automatically drop to his mouth, and when his tongue darts out slightly, licking his lower lip, I bite mine to hold back the low moan I feel creeping up my chest. I force myself to move my eyes up to meet his gaze, and I swear his eyes have changed colors. Before they were bright like a sapphire in the sunlight, and now they’re dark like the deep navy depths of the ocean.
“You’re a breath of fresh air, you know that, Mimi?” he smiles, and I can’t help but notice his voice sounds an octave deeper than before he kissed me. “You are completely unexpected, and that’s new for me. I’m not usually intrigued by women I meet randomly, but you’re definitely something else.”
I push a stray hair behind my ear and smile shyly. “Is that good or bad?”
He lets out a low chuckle, blue eyes glinting in the low lights.
“Believe me, it’s good. And I’d love to get to know you better, sweetheart. I love your fresh, open honesty and the fact that you admitted you use Cocoslick for your own personal pleasure.”
My face is probably the color of a fire hydrant now, but I smile shyly.
“Yes, I do.”
Mason nods, his expression suddenly fierce.
“I’ve got a suite at the Wilshire Hotel. Will you come back to my suite with me? I’d love to spend more time getting to know you, sweetheart. I know this is sudden, but I’m not ready for this date to end.”
How did an art class to get me out of my sad, depressed state after being fired lead to this handsome man asking me back to his hotel room? And a suite at the Wilshire to boot? Wow, that’s not cheap, so whatever business Mason’s in, he must be pretty successful. I bring my fingers to my lips, and I swear it’s like I can still feel his lips pressed to mine. Suddenly, I realize that I’m not ready to walk away from his kiss either. So even though this is totally out of character, I smile and nod shyly.
“Yes, Mr. Carlisle. I’ll go with you. Take me to the Wilshire.”
6
Mimi
Being at the Wilshire Hotel after getting fired feels strange, but Mason takes my hand and walks us straight to the elevators, his strides long and purposeful. In fact, I almost forget where we are because this man is so magnetic.
Once we’re in the elevator, I have to look twice to make sure I’m not seeing things on the number pad. I know Mason said he was staying in a suite at the Wilshire, but I didn’t for a second think he meant one of the suites on the top floor. Those are the fanciest, with triple height ceilings and panoramic views of Atlantic City.
Then again, Mason never said what kind of business he was here for other than some random conference. Is it because he wants to remain anonymous? Is he one of those sleazy guys who always tries to hook-up when he’s traveling, only to come home to a wife and family? Oh god, I hope not. Surreptitiously, I check for a band on his wedding finger, but thankfully, it’s bare.
I lick my lips and swallow, trying to find a way to make my body calm down, but it’s hard. Am I really doing this, with a gorgeous man at my side? Even now, he’s so close, literally stroking his thumb back and forth over my knuckles as his big form looms over me. It’s impossible to think about anything but how good our kiss felt, and the fact that right now we’re headed to a place with a bed—alone.
Holy hell! I can’t believe I’m doing this, but then again, what do I have to lose? I suppose I could be kidnapped or even worse, but it seems unlikely. How would he kidnap me in a hotel? Besides, I’m tired of being boring old Mimi Richardson, who’s too fat to be a showgirl. In fact, I long for validation and getting frisky with a gorgeous stranger who adores my body would be perfect right about now.
