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“Anothertime!” she called back, andHazellaughed, her gaze zeroing in on him.
“AdamPatrickShephard!Didyou just ask a hotel guest out on a date?”
Herubbed a hand over the back of his neck.Hedidn’t understand what had come over him, but he found that he didn’t want to analyze it.FlirtingwithHazelfelt good.
“Mindyour own business,Autumn,” he said, moving behind the front desk.
“Never,” she said with a laugh.
Adamspent the next few hours doing what he did best: overanalyzing.Afterall, he hadn’t ever asked a hotel guest on a date before, so why had he broken his rules now?Hecouldn’t deny that he felt drawn toHazel, but was that only becauseAutumnwas in his head?Wasit because he was a little lonely?Wasit because he wanted to prove to himself thatAutumnwas crazy and there was nothing between him andHazel?
Hedidn’t know.Buthe wasn’t going to back out now.Hewas a lot of things, but rude wasn’t one of them.
Whathe did know was that he’d asked a woman out for the first time in a long time, and he didn’t regret it.
Therest of the work day crawled by.Allhe could think about wasHazelup in her room.Thatshe was literally a flight of stairs away.Buthe forced himself to stay downstairs.Towait.WhenJamiecame in for her shift, he passed everything over to her, did a final—but quick—walkthrough of the hotel, and then jumped in his car and sped back to his cabin to change.
Upin his bedroom, he opened his closet, stared at the clothing inside, and then sank down on the bed.Hefelt like a rusty hinge, creaking to life, unsure of his movements.Unsureof so much.Witha sigh, he pushed a hand through his hair and then pulled his phone out of his pocket, textingJack.
Adam:Whatdoes one wear on a first date?
Jack:Depends.Whereis one going on this date, and what are one’s intentions?
Adam:Myintentions are to get to know her.Whichis generally the intention of a first date.
Jack:Ifyou say so.
Adam:Andwe’re going to a tasting atThreeBrothers.
Jack:Areyou not going to tell me who you’re going on a date with?
Adam:No.
Jack:YouknowI’llfind out anyway.
Adam:Iknow.Butmaking you work for it is more fun.
Jack:Wearsomething simple and classic, but not too dressy.Youdon’t want to look like you’re trying too hard.Doa sweater with jeans or dark pants.Niceshoes.Shave.
Adam:Iwas planning to shave.
Jack:Okay,Igave you fashion advice.Nowtell me who this date is with.
Adam:No.Andthanks for the advice.
Hisphone buzzed again, but he ignored it, instead peeling off his clothes and padding into the adjoining bathroom to take a quick shower and shave.
Bythe time he got back to the hotel, it was just before seven, andHazelwas already waiting in the lobby.Sheturned as he stepped inside, and it was as though the entire world dropped into slow motion.Herhair shone like bronze in firelight as it cascaded over her shoulders in shiny waves.Shewas wearing a white cable knit sweater dress that hit just at the knee, and knee-high brown leather boots.Hissteps faltered slightly as he drank her in, her eyes like melted chocolate, her mouth full and heart-shaped.God, she was beautiful.
Hercheeks went pink as she stared at him, heat trailing in the wake of her roving gaze that moved over his shoulders and chest, down and then quickly back up to his face.
Hecouldn’t deny that the physical chemistry between them was real.Buthe needed to know if there was more than attraction between them.
“Youlook lovely,” he said, stepping closer to her.Hewanted to hug her, to kiss her cheek, but held back.Outof nerves or self-preservation, he wasn’t sure.Hewasn’t sure about anything: dating a hotel guest, letting himself get tangled up with yet another woman who was leaving, if there was anything more than hormones and loneliness at play here.
“Thankyou,” she said, her eyelashes fanning against the tops of her cheeks as she glanced down briefly. “Youlook nice, too.”
He’dpicked out a dark blue sweater and a pair of black pants, followingJack’sadvice.Heinclined his head toward the door. “Shallwe?”
