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Chapter 1
Andria Cooper hadn't had sex in six months. As she checked her reflection one last time in the full-length mirror, she reasoned with herself that she wasn't going outlookingto get laid; she was only going to open herself up to possibilities. And if she were being completely honest, she wouldn’t even be doing that if her BFF hadn’t talked her into it.
"Kiki," she said into her cell phone, "tell me if this looks all right. I wanna look sexy, but not like… desperate-to-get-laid sexy." She held up the phone and snapped a selfie from the front then angled until she was able to get an acceptable shot of the back before she sent them both off.
“Keep in mind that I do have my maroon jersey dress with me if this doesn't work."
"Okay, focusing outside my envy," Kiki answered, "the maroon one is great, but it covers up too much. Stick with this. I love the back, and that color is perfect for your skin tone."
"The back is my favorite part too. So this works?"
"Beautifully." Kiki agreed.
The cream color glowed against Andie's skin, and she hoped it wasn't just the lighting that made that little miracle happen. Or if it was, she hoped they had the same lighting in the lounge downstairs.
“So, tell me straight, Kiki. Shoes? Hair? Clutch? All good?"
"Yes, the whole shebang looks smashing. Just don't chicken out and sit in a corner like a wallflower, okay? Or worse, change your mind and decide to stay in your room like a hermit and watch TV. Get out there. Flirt. Smile at somebody and let him buy you a drink."
"That's the plan," Andie said with a sigh in her voice. She knew where this was heading.
"That's always the plan with you. Then you never make it out the door. Or once you get somewhere, you hide in the darkest corner you can find and escape within an hour. Danny is over, and you deserve better than him anyway. Always did. Now, get off the phone and get back out in the world. For real this time."
"Hey," Andie said a little self-defensively. "It's not like tonight I'm going to meet Mr. Right, you know. This is a business trip a billion miles from home. If I do just sit in a corner, only thing I'll be missing out on is a one-night stand. And you know I've never been too big on those anyway." She worked as call support for a large office supply chain out of Chicago. When the opportunity for this training seminar had come up, she’d been so excited. It’d been years since she’d been able to afford any sort of travel, and this place was only a two-hour drive from her favorite person on the planet. Her uncle Wally was going to be so surprised when she came rolling up his drive tomorrow. The anticipation of time on the farm was almost greater than the anticipation for tonight.
"A one-night stand is exactly what you need right now. One night with a handsome stranger to remind you how incredibly hot and desirable you are. You spent too many years with a jerk who tore you down all the time. Your ego could use the boost."
Andie hmm’d in lieu of a reply, because her friend made a compelling argument.
"Just tell your mind to shut up and let your body take the lead for once. You'll thank me when you get back home. I love you. Now hang up and go away."
Andie laughed a little. "I love you too. And I promise, I'll try. I won’t hide in a corner or activate my cloaking device."
“Oh my God,” Kiki chided in mock horror, “and absolutely none of your lame ass nerd jokes you geek.”
They hung up with laughter and promises to talk in the morning, and Andie headed out the door, determined to take her friend's advice and not give in to the voice in her head, reminding her there was room service, a king-sized bed, and Pay Per View. "Damn you, Kiki," she muttered as she forced herself out the door. "You know me too well."
* * *
Luke Baxteralmost choked on his drink when the plump, tawny-haired woman walked into the room. She had a mass of curly hair that was piled on top of her head in one of those styles that always made him want to dig his fingers in and pull. It was streaked in about a dozen different shades. He couldn't make out much of her face from where he sat, but he could tell it was heart-shaped with full glossy lips and big dark eyes.
She had a figure that screamed old Hollywood, with full breasts, a softly rounded tummy, and drool-worthy hips that had his body sitting up and taking notice. She stood just inside the entrance as she searched for a table, and Luke saw he wasn't the only man who noticed her. A quick scan of the room showed him all the tables in the lounge were full, so she was going to have to sit at the bar. He figured he could find a smooth excuse to approach her there, when she surprised him by turning on her heel after a moment and heading back out the way she had come.
Luke jumped to his feet and caught up to her in two steps. "Excuse me, Miss," he said and smiled his best “I'm really a nice guy” smile. "I couldn't help but notice you look like you're about to leave. If it's because all the tables are taken, you're welcome to join me at mine." He gestured with one hand and reached his other out to her, palm up, offering to escort her like a gentleman, while the feelings she was evoking in him were anything but gentlemanly.
She hesitated, and Luke could tell she wasn't exactly comfortable with the idea. "Look. The place is packed, and there's no sense in taking up a whole table all by myself, when I could be sharing it with a beautiful woman instead. Just share the table. You don't even have to talk to me if you don't want to."
She smiled a little at him and tentatively placed her cool fingers on his. He smiled back and closed his hand around hers then led her to the table and held a chair out for her.
"This is really nice of you. Thank you." She smiled and tucked a dangling curl behind one ear as she settled herself in her seat.
"Ah, it’s nothing," he said as he sat across from her. "You're doing me the favor. I was alone and starting to feel a little like the Unabomber. You've saved me." He smiled and gave her a small toast with his water glass. "I'm Luke. Luke Baxter."
"Hi, Luke. Luke Baxter. I'm Andrea Cooper. Andie for short. And you've got it backward. I'm the Unabomber type. You caught me just as I was chickening out. I was going to go back to my room and order room service once I saw I'd have to sit at the bar." She wrinkled her nose at him with a shake of her head, and he found himself charmed by the expression. "I'm not a 'sit at the bar' kind of girl. It took all the courage I had to come down to the lounge in the first place, so a bar stool would have exceeded my capabilities."
"Really?" Luke asked, intrigued. "Why is that?"
"Well, I have a theory." Andie leaned toward him, and her smile was so enchanting he only found it a little difficult to keep his eyes above her chin. "I've come to the conclusion that as a whole, women under the age of thirty are pack animals."
