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Maybe that was my problem, all those weekend flings, but never finding love. Maybe it was this place? I had three months left on my contract at Three Sisters. Was I finally ready to move on?
The worst thing was I still had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. If I couldn’t figure myself out, how did I think I could find someone to spend the rest of my life with?
I groaned and curled up with a body pillow I’d had since high school. One thing I knew for sure, Darian was amazing. Maybe if I got my shit together I’d be able to find another guy like him when I was ready. I stifled a large yawn and then closed my eyes, succumbing to sleep.
EIGHT
A knock drew me from my afternoon slumber. I climbed off my bed and opened the door finding myself face to face with a bouquet of prairie lilies. Behind it stood Jacques, my previous one night stand.
“Looks like you have an admirer.” Jacques smiled wickedly as he shoved the bouquet in my direction, and handed me an envelope. I took both from him, as he stood there awkwardly waiting.
“Oh, sorry, how much should I tip you?”
He laughed. “You don’t tip me, the sender does. So what are you up to tonight?” His one eye twitched like he was trying to wink.
Looking him over, I couldn’t help but compare him to Darian. Where Darian was dark and chiseled, Jacques was lean and furry. It wasn’t that I didn’t find Jacques attractive. But now that I had a piece of Darian…would anyone be able to compare? Jacques seemed like a boy, where Darian was a man.
I held the flowers between us, like a shield. “I’ve got plans.”
“Okay, then.” Jacques nodded. “Enjoy your flowers.” He turned and slinked away to the stairwell.
I turned back to my room and realized I wanted more information. “Wait,” I called out. “Who sent these?” But Jacques was long gone.
I closed the door and set the vase of flowers on the counter that sat between my kitchen and bedroom. Prairie lilies? I hadn’t seen these since I was back home. A feeling of nostalgia crept in.
Still holding the envelope in my hand, and glanced at my clock. Four pm? I had slept for three hours! The afternoon was nearly over; I couldn’t believe it. Sitting in my lone chair, I curled up and opened the envelope. My stomach fluttered. It was from Darian.
I hope these flowers give you a sense of home. Even though I have to return to mine tomorrow, it doesn’t mean I don’t want to see you again—and I don’t mean just one more night. Meet me in my room at five o’clock so I can talk about this with you in person.
The fluttering in my stomach turned to anxiety. How did Darian know I was from the prairies? I never shared that with clients, only my coworkers and friends around town knew. And how could he be serious about seeing me more? We barely knew each other, and we lived in two different places. I flipped the paper over and over again in my hands. If I wanted to go, I had an hour to get ready.
***
I stood in the lobby of Darian’s hotel, waiting for the elevator. It took a lot of talking to convince myself that it was okay to have one last night of fun before he left. Thankfully I had no roommates, or they might have thought I was losing it.
When the elevator doors opened, I stepped inside and hit the penthouse floor. As the doors closed, I glanced at my phone. 5:05. I was late. I tucked my phone back in my purse and rubbed my hands down the side of my dress. Why was I so nervous?
The doors slid open on the top floor and I stepped out into the long hallway, making my way down the bright patterned carpet to the door that stood alone at the end of the hall. I paused in front of the large double wooden doors. I knew Darian was on the other side, just a few feet away. Was I prepared for just a little fun? I reached up my hand and knocked.
The door was opened by a stranger. I searched his face trying to recall which of one of the guy’s in Darian’s crew this was, but none of them came to mind. Plus the man was dressed in a white linen yoga outfit. “Come in,” he said, motioned to the room.
I stared into the room and saw where last night there was a living room set, tonight it was replaced by two massage tables. Another man stood below, dressed in the same as the one who answered the door.
“What’s going on here?” I asked.
“Sorry, I’m Enrique, your masseuse for this evening. Mr. Hunter will be right back; he’s just delayed a moment.” Enrique leaned in uncomfortably close and smiled before whispering. “I think he was nervous you weren’t going to show up.”
I returned the smile and decided to cross the threshold. I was met by a waitress, holding out a glass of champagne. I politely took the glass and drank half of it in an attempt to calm my nerves.
Darian appeared from his bedroom, dressed in a cotton robe all casual like the two masseuses and suddenly I felt overdressed in my black cocktail dress. His eyes instantly widened when he saw me, and I did a little curtsy from across the room.
Before he could reach me, the waitress stepped between us. “A drink, Mr. Hunter?” I couldn’t help but notice how she batted her eyelashes at him when she said her name. A flash of jealousy fired up inside of me. But Darian barely nodded, not taking his eyes off of me as he grabbed a glass of champagne from her tray.
The waitress frowned. I couldn’t blame her. He was dead sexy in his robe, the top lying open with his chest on display. Underneath his legs peeked through when he walked, revealing a tease of nakedness that lay beneath. But tonight his nakedness was mine, not hers. I couldn’t stifle a smile that spread across my lips.
“I’m sorry I’m late,” I said as he reached me. He stopped so close I could feel the heat from his body. I wanted to embrace him. Kiss him. But I had to remind myself—this was just for fun. You can’t date a client. It’s just not feasible.
“I’m just glad you’re here now.”
