Holy shit! Did she just ask that?
“Ahhhh,” I stuttered, unsure how to answer her, if she was serious or just fucking with me. “What?”
She took a deep breath, then a big sip of wine, as if trying to find the courage to respond.
After a few seconds she blew my mind and asked, “Why not try something different this weekend? What if, just while we are in Chicago, we enjoy more than great conversation?”
“Laurel,” I began, thinking this was an idea that could only lead to trouble, even as my body had an entirely different reaction to her proposition.
“Shhh,” she said, holding her finger up to her very plump, and, I was noticing, very supple lips. “Just hear me out.” At my nod, Laurel continued, “What if we forgo our separate rooms and enjoy the fantasy suite, so to say, while we are in Chicago. Just for the weekend, no strings attached. No one knows us here, so we’ll have anonymity while we have a great time in the Windy City. Then, when we go home, we’re back to being plain old Laurel and Dillon, who’ve known each other for ages and can barely tolerate each other.”
“I wouldn’t say we barely tolerate…” I began again, even though her statement was pretty accurate, but she reached out and took my hand, effectively cutting off my train of thought when she ran her thumb over my skin.
“Aren’t you at all curious? At all attracted?” she asked, somehow looking sweet and dangerous all at once. “I dare you…”
Turning my hand to capture hers in mine, I wondered if I was insane when I replied, “Oh, you’re throwing down the gauntlet, huh?”
“Come on, Dillon, I promise I’ll make it worth your while,” Laurel said, and although I had no idea where this confidence came from, especially since I’d never seen it directed at me, I was finding that it really turned me on.
“Just this weekend?” I asked, feeling a pull even as doubt niggled in the back of my mind.
“Yup,” she replied with a seductive smile.
“Your room or mine?”
18
Laurel
Oh my God!
I don’t know what the heck happened, it’s like I was taken over by my evil alter ego, or something.
One minute we were listing each other’s attributes, and the next I was propositioning him. It was totally, utterly, unlike me. But… I was so caught up in the night, that when he said I’d eventually find a guy like Reardon or Gabe, I just had to tell him. I love Reardon and Gabe, but the only guy I wanted to be with was him.
It was a leap of faith, definitely fueled on by liquid courage and a beautiful night out in Chicago with the man of my dreams, but I’d realized, it was now or never.
So, I pulled out my inner vixen once again, and asked him flat out. Who knew she was so powerful, or so able to get me what I wanted.
Maybe I should call on her more often…
While we rode the elevator up to Dillon’s room, I chose his, I fought back the panic attack that was threatening to level me.
You’ve got this. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to spend the weekend with Dillon, in the way you’ve always wanted to spend it. Don’t chicken out.
“You okay?” Dillon asked, taking my hand in his and pulling me out of my head and into the moment.
I took a deep breath and brought my gaze to his handsome face. He was watching me with a small smile, but his eyes conveyed his concern.
Snap out of it, I ordered myself. Do not give him a reason to change his mind.
I lowered my lashes, then looked up at him with what I hoped was a coy smile. “Yes, perfect.”
Dillon’s thumb caressed my palm, then moved on to my wrist. That small, seemingly innocent touch was enough to make my knees weaken. My pulse began to race and the elevator started to feel really, really warm. Like, sauna warm.
I heard what sounded like a purr, and when Dillon grinned, I realized the sound came from me.
Get a grip, I urged myself.