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Did I really think that Levi was a cocky asshole just for kissing me when I secretly wanted him to? I was wrong. I didn’t even know the definition of cocky before tonight.
When we got back to the hotel, Chase handed over his keys to the valet with an obnoxious reminder not to get one single scratch on the car. It was said with a vaguely threatening undertone that made the poor kid swallow hard and go pale.
Chase walked inside with me; his hand pressed against my lower back. I was stiff, suddenly realizing the fundamental problem with going on a date with someone staying in the same building. There was no graceful or easy way to bow out.
We got into the elevator, and he pushed the button for the top floor, where the penthouse suites were located. I’d checked out the hotel’s website thoroughly before we left New York, so I knew just how lavish and pricey those rooms were. Still, I had no interest in seeing his.
The elevator doors closed and we started to move. Chase was standing right in front of the control panel, so there was no subtle way to push the button for my own floor. I leaned over in front of him, avoiding his eyes as I hit the number eight.
“You know, the evening is still young. We don’t have to part ways just yet,” Chase said, and I wished that he wouldn’t make this attempt to get me to go upstairs with him. It made me want to cringe. “I have a hell of a view from the top floor. And a balcony where we could get a little wild without anyone seeing.”
Wow.This guy was bold.
“Um, yeah...I don’t think so,” I replied with a tight smile. “This was great, really…”
I could hear the lie in my own voice. I didn’t want to be rude to the guy. He didn’t treat me badly on our short date. He just wasn’t my type.
He wasn’t Levi.
Damn it.
Frustrated with myself, I met Chase’s eyes directly. “But I’m going to my own room tonight.”
I expected him to be disappointed, but instead of showing that, he gave me a little half-grin.
“Come on, baby. Don’t be like that.”
I felt a flicker of annoyance. I hated being called “baby.”
“Thanks for dinner,” I said as the elevator came to a stop. The doors slid open, but before I could step out, Chase stepped into my path, keeping the elevator doors open with his hands spread out.
“How about a nightcap? I have some very fine scotch in my room. It could be just the right thing to put you in the mood.”
“You’re a handsome guy, Chase,” I said, ducking under his arm to slip past him and out into the hallway. “But if I’m not already in the mood after spending the evening together, it’s not going to happen.”
He finally looked put-out, frown lines appearing around his mouth and his brow furrowing. I had to wonder if any other woman had ever told him no before. He looked shocked.
Well, there was a first time for everything.
“You’re gonna regret this,” he said, and my eyebrows shot up.
“Is that a threat?” I stared at him incredulously.
He looked horrified. “God, no. I was just saying that you’re missing out. The ladies never regret spending the night with me.”
Laughter bubbled up in my chest, and I couldn’t resist letting it out. Stepping forward, I popped up on my tiptoes and placed a quick kiss on Chase’s cheek.
“I think I’ll take my chances,” I said.
Turning away, I walked down the hall to my room. By the time I reached my door and glanced back, the elevator doors were sliding closed. I got a last glimpse of Chase just before he was obscured from view, and I had to shake my head. It was such a shame that it didn’t work out. He really was hot.
I opened my door and stepped inside the room, immediately kicking off my heels. I walked over to the bed and rubbed my feet, which were sore after wearing uncomfortable shoes for the last couple of hours. I planned to take off my dress next, but as I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket, I impulsively decided to open up my photo gallery.
Skipping past all my recent pictures, I scanned through ones from three years ago, right before Levi and I stopped talking. We’d gone to a bar with some mutual friends to celebrate his twenty-sixth birthday. I had taken pictures all night, so there were dozens saved on my phone. I had been meaning to get rid of them for a long time but for some reason, I always seemed to talk myself out of it.
I stopped flipping through the pictures as I came across one of me and Levi, our faces pressed together as I took a selfie. I remembered it so well that it was hard to believe it was three long years ago. I could feel the heat of his body against mine, smell the scent of his cologne. My heart was beating just a little faster at our closeness as I snapped the picture, and I could remember thinking that I should finally tell him how I felt about him.
I planned to do it that night, but an old girlfriend of his showed up at the party and they’d left together. I had been crushed.
