He acts like he wants to say something as one corner of his mouth turns up. Then he slides his teeth over his bottom lip. “Spell this out for me, Sam.”
“You’re the only one I’ve been with since the last guy I dated, and I’ve always been monogamous. I’m a safe bet, if you follow. He used protection, even though he wasn’t faithful.”
“I’ve never had sex without a condom. Ever. In my life. Except that one stroke slip up with you.”
“So what I’m saying is if we’re going to be exclusive, and I know I am, and I’m on the pill, then …” I let my voice trail off.
“You trust me?”
“Yes. Shouldn’t I?” I ask.
“No. I mean, yes. But that’s not what I meant. What I meant is that I’m surprised that you trust me enough to offer that, especially considering my past. But I won’t betray your trust. I swear, I won’t.”
“Then I don’t think we really need condoms, do we?”
“No, maybe not. But not until after I get tested. I usually do every month. Drew made me start doing it a long time ago and I never stopped.”
“Even with condoms?” This worries me a bit.
“Yeah. Nothing’s a hundred percent, according to him.”
“I guess I should get tested too, then.”
He flashes me a smile. “We could go together?”
“Why not? I should’ve done this a long time ago, but I thought I was good since we used condoms.”
“I’m sure you are, but no use in taking chances. Now let’s get some sleep, yeah?” he says with a damn sexy smirk.
“Yeah, I’m beat.”
I hear his chest rumble as he says, “Isn’t that supposed to be my line?”
He pulls me against the wall of his chest and his arms find their way around me. I’m cozy as I’ve ever been and float away into the land of dreams.
My ringing phone wakes us both up hours later and I jump out of bed to shut it off. I shake my head when I see it’s Nick. “Oh, crap!”
“What?” a deep hoarse voice comes back to me from the bed. I smile, remembering all the delicious things from last night.
“It’s ten thirty and Nick wants to know what time we’re leaving. I need to get downstairs to settle up with the hotel. They need my signature on some paperwork.”
Ben gets out of bed and I can’t help but stop what I’m doing and stare at the man. He stretches, and I’m not sure if it’s to give me the show I want or if it’s because he really needs to get the kinks out of his muscles that I now want to run my hands all over.
“You really shouldn’t do that, you know?”
“What?” he asks, smirking, knowing damn well what I mean.
I spin and sashay my way to the shower.
“Wait a minute. You can’t do that to me.”
I giggle as I hear him chasing me down. An arm snags me around my waist and I’m hoisted in the air.
“You can run, but you can’t outrun me.” He throws me over his shoulder and swats my ass. Next thing I know, I’m back in bed.
“Ben, I need to go downstairs.”
“And you will. Right after I fuck that smile off your face and have you screaming my name.”
Thirty minutes later, I run out of the room with wet hair pulled back in a ponytail, wearing a t-shirt, shorts, and flip flops. I don’t know if I want to laugh or kill him.
Nick and the sales and banquet managers are waiting for me.
“So sorry. I slept like a log last night. So you have papers for me?” I can feel Nick’s eyes on me, but I refuse to look his way.
“Yes. Here are the final bills for everything.”
“Thank you. Give me a minute to look these over.”
“No problem.”
It doesn’t take long for me to see everything is in line as it should be. I sign my name on all the pages where designated and take my copies.
“Thank you so much. It’s been a pleasure doing business with you, Miss Calhoun.”
I stand and shake hands with the sales manager. “Will I ever convince you to call me Samantha?”
“Maybe the next time we work together.”
“I hope so,” I say as I watch her walk away. This is the part I’m dreading.
“So, you and Rhoades, huh?” Nick says with a hint of a sneer.
“Uh, yeah. Didn’t we already have this conversation?”
“Yeah, I guess so. I hope it works out.”
I don’t like the way he says that, but I let it drop.
He gives me a curt nod and I watch him stride to the hotel doors.
“Where are you going?”
“I’m leaving. I’ve already had breakfast and checked out, like most of the others.” The meaning behind his snide comment isn’t lost on me.
“Fine. I’ll see you at work on Monday.”
Ben is dressed when I get to the room. He can tell something is wrong. So I tell him.
“Let it go. He’s jealous.”
“But why?”
“Samantha, look in the mirror, sweetheart. You’re a prize and he wants you.” His words are gentle and kind, yet they don’t comfort me.
“I honestly feel he thinks he’s looking out for me.”
“Maybe. But I’m going to look out for you much better.”
I finish packing and we leave. He walks me to my waiting car and kisses me before I get in. It seems lonely without Ben. I roll down the window and he asks, “Tonight?”