She gasped, breaking the kiss. “Holy shit. That’s the Eiffel Tower.”
Drew laughed in that way Maisie had come to suspect meant she was acting either refreshingly genuine or hopelessly naive, depending on your perspective. From the way Drew looked at her, Maisie was relieved to see she was still falling on the right side of charming.
“I did request a room with a view,” Drew said.
Maisie crossed to the window, and Drew followed. This was not the bedroom but a large sitting room, complete with a velvety gray sofa and love seat, deep cushioned chairs, and rich burgundy drapes.
“We’re so close if this window opened, I could reach out and touch it.” Maisie held her hand up as if to demonstrate.
Drew wrapped her fingers around Maisie’s hand. “I’d rather touch you.”
Maisie sighed in satisfaction, tilting her head upward to give Drew better access to her mouth. Who knew kissing could be so hot? It was starting to become clear to Maisie that her partners in the past had considered the act to be a required part of foreplay, one of half a dozen or so actions they needed to check off a list in order to gain a ticket to the main event.
When approached as nothing more than a means to an end, was it any surprise kissing had never made Maisie’s knees buckle? It sure did now, though. Luckily, Drew was strong enough to keep Maisie on her feet when necessary, but maybe it would be a better idea to find the bedroom, where staying upright was optional.
“Bedroom?” Drew whispered as if reading Maisie’s mind.
“We should at least check it out,” Maisie agreed, her words dotted with small gasps as she tried to regain her breath. “Might as well finish the grand tour.”
Drew cleared her throat and straightened up to her full height—in other words towering over Maisie. She gestured toward the bedroom door with the regal bearing of a royal butler, paired with an atrociously bad French accent. “This way, madam.”
Though Maisie found it hard to believe, the bedroom was even more impressive than the room they’d first entered. It was decorated with furniture in an antique French style, with swaths of silk falling from the ceiling on each side of the headboard like a canopy in an ancient castle. The Bellagio fountains danced beyond the window, but as Drew clicked on the light to the bathroom, Maisie’s attention was captured by the massive marble tub that dominated the room.
“Oh, my God.” Maisie was vaguely aware her ability to express herself using the English language was not at its best tonight, but there wasn’t much else she could say, except to point out, “It’s as big as a pool.”
That was a slight exaggeration, but the deep oval tub with its gleaming brass fixtures was plenty big enough for two. Drew must have had this realization at about the same time, because the next thing Maisie knew, Drew was turning on the faucet.
“Bubble bath?” Drew held up a glass bottle of lavender liquid, which evidently had been included with the room.
“Yes, please.” Maisie grinned, unable to recall when she’d had enough time, or a tub big enough, to indulge in such a luxury.
As the bathroom filled with a faint scent of floral bubbles, Drew slowly unbuttoned her shirt, never taking her searing eyes off of Maisie, even as she moved on to her boots and jeans. She had such an alluring smile, such longing in those pupils that were quadrupling in size, that Maisie wasn’t sure how to respond. Actually, that wasn’t exactly true. It was more that every part of her body was responding at once, leaving Maisie swirling in a whirlwind of sensation.
“A girl could get addicted to that,” Maisie whispered.
“What’s that?” Drew slanted her head, the angle just right to highlight her strong cheeks and her very long, smooth neck. The rest of her was muscle, the type gained from long days of hard work rather than visits to the gym. Maisie wasn’t sure why the difference mattered so much, but it did.
“The way you’re looking at me.” Maisie took in a deep breath, her nostrils tickling with lavender and steam.
“How exactly am I looking at you?” Drew’s husky voice dripped with promise.
“Like you might devour me whole.”
“Maybe I’m thinking about it.” Clothed only in a pair of black boy shorts and a sports bra, Drew came closer, easing the lightweight cardigan from Maisie’s body and tossing it aside. She ran her hands up and down Maisie’s back, the fabric of her dress slipping across her skin as Drew’s fingers searched until they found the zipper. Maisie clung to Drew, her fingers gripping Drew’s bare back.
Drew eased the zipper down, inch by inch, sliding her lips from Maisie’s neck to her shoulder all the while. When she’d made it back to Maisie’s neck, Drew gave her a light nip with her teeth. “Or, I might take my time, go for smaller bites.”
Maisie’s dress fell to the floor. Drew held her at arm’s length, her eyes traveling along Maisie’s scantily clad frame, growing wider as they landed on her chest.
“How is that even possible?” Drew traced the floral pattern of Maisie’s bra with her thumbs. “You’re like four-feet tall. How do you even carry these?”
“I am not four feet tall.” Maisie couldn’t suppress a giggle, even though she knew it made her sound the very opposite of sophisticated. “Anyway, that’s why I wear a bra.”
“Well, I hope you can manage for a while without one.” Drew unhooked the bra as she spoke, sending it to join the growing pile of discarded clothing. She cupped one breast in each hand, driving Maisie wild, stealing her breath while also making her want to cry out at the top of her lungs. Instead, she remained silent and panting as Drew lowered her mouth to one rock-hard nipple, swirling it with her tongue.
“Ahhh…” As cohesive thoughts went, that one fell a little short.
Drew seemed to understand, though, as she closed her lips and sucked. Grabbing Drew’s shoulders, Maisie closed her eyes and prayed the sensations running through her would never stop. Like, if they did, the entire universe would spin out of control, ending life not only for her but all of humanity.