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I noticed Oakley zero in on a preppy blond guy at the reception desk. He was getting a hotel room key from the clerk and had two small suitcases at his feet, one of them pink along with two garment bags draped over them.
He turned, and as if he’d forgotten about the circumstances which had Oakley walking in with me instead of him, he smiled. “Just in time. Here’s your key.”
She snatched her suitcase and bag. “I don’t think so. I’m not sharing a room with you.”
He rolled his eyes. “Come on. I was going to turn around to get you.”
“When? Over three hours ago when you left me on the side of the freeway in freezing cold temperatures and sprayed me with gravel? I don’t think so.” She turned to the front desk clerk. “I’d like a room, please. One as far away from this asshole as possible.”
The clerk shook her head. “I’m so sorry, miss, but we’re booked up for the weekend. I’ve heard the Hampton Inn in town has some openings.”
Town was eight miles away. Oakley’s face falling while Shawn chuckled was unacceptable. Before I could question what I was doing, I pushed forward.
Chapter Five
Oakley
My bravado in telling Shawn off was completely wiped out by the front desk clerk’s news about the lack of rooms. I should’ve called from the road to ask for my own room instead of assuming they’d have one available once I arrived. Shawn’s glee over my predicament was enough to send me into a fit of rage or tears. I wasn’t sure which would win out when Max stepped forward.
Nothing like having him witness my humiliation twice in the same day.
But his words were shocking. “Oakley can stay with me.” He turned toward the front desk clerk. “The reservation is under Max Brooks.”
Shawn’s face turned red. “What? Who the hell are you?” He focused on Max for the first time.
“I’m the man who’s about to have a little talk with you about what’s an acceptable way to treat women.”
Shawn’s face flushed, and—no surprise—he looked nervous as hell. Max was a large man compared to him. And the way Max’s voice did this edge-of-danger thing… Yeah, it was ridiculously hot—I mean intimidating for Shawn. Jesus, Oakley, get it together.
“This was just a misunderstanding. It isn’t your business,” Shawn sputtered.
Max remained calm, but the tone of menace stayed in his voice. “Oh, but it is.”
The front desk clerk bounced her gaze around the three of us. “Um, Mr. Brooks, do you have a credit card?”
“Yes, I do. And I’d like two keys, please.”
Shawn’s eyes went wide, and I realized he was staring at the black American Express card. Huh, guess Max had money. Not something I cared about, but definitely high on Shawn’s list, judging by the envy in his expression. Another red flag. Maybe I should’ve seen it before when he’d always made a point of ordering the most expensive thing on the menu.
Max handed me a room key, signed a sheet of paper, and we finished up quickly. He put his credit card back in his money clip and stepped toward Shawn. “Apologize to the lady for dumping her on the side of the road.”
Shawn sneered, his gaze focusing on me. Evidently the mask was off and so were the gloves. “The only reason I dated you was as a favor to Kate. Which was a big favor considering high school girls put out faster than you do.”
“That’s enough.” Max spoke with authority. He leaned down close to Shawn’s ear to whisper something. I couldn’t hear his words, but by the way they registered in Shawn’s expression, I could imagine the creativity.
Max stepped back with a smile which didn’t meet his eyes. “Let’s go, Oakley.”
He didn’t give me the chance to respond, taking my arm and leading me to the elevator. I was thankful he’d taken charge as my body hadn’t yet caught up to my brain.
Once we were alone in the elevator with the doors still open, he grinned. “You know what this moment calls for, don’t you?”
My gaze bounced from him to an angry Shawn staring at us. “What’s that?”
He pulled me close in a lover’s embrace. “Less stunned, more excited to touch me, darlin’. Unless you don’t want to.”
My eyes went wide. Was this real life or had I slipped into a romance-novel fantasy?
His warm body was real. His intense blue eyes were real. The humming of my body was real. Max was rescuing me by allowing me to give Shawn a big fuck you in the best way possible. It was now or never.
