a little impressed. The man had
smarts, too. “That's pretty deep for the whole pick up bit.” He
shrugged. Nicole considered him again. Damn. Damn. “I'll pay for
the drinks. Another shot of tequila, and then I'm done. I've got
work in the morning.” She dug in her clutch purse on the bar's top
for a twenty and handed it to him.
“ Me, too.” He took the money
without protest. “I'm only here for the weekend, and then it's back
to L.A. for me.”
“ Same here, but not
L.A.”
He turned to order their
drinks and the full confession hit her. What was she doing telling
a handsome stranger her plans for the weekend, as though they were
coming to an agreement? I won't be here for
long. I've got to work in the morning. Not too much to drink
because...
Yeah, she felt lust, but that didn't mean
anything. She felt lust for George Clooney. Didn't mean she planned
to hump him any time soon. Nicole narrowed her gaze when he faced
her again. She had to nip this attraction in the bud, because it
was too easy to imagine him lifting her dress and keeping up in the
fast lane.
“ I'm not looking for a hook
up,” she said.
“ Neither am I.”
He didn't sound completely
against one. Not from the tone he used. A tone much like her own,
if Nicole thought hard about it. The idea took root in her mind.
Something light and frothy to ease all the pressure leaving her
limbs stiff at the end of the work day. End. There wasn't one, not really.
Publicity, good publicity, had no final destination. Resting on
one's laurels didn't exist in her world.
Effortlessly, the man sowed the idea of sex
with his quips, the smiles, and something as innocent as their legs
brushing against one another. Their limbs connected, his so warm
along hers. She would not have a one night stand with a stranger no
matter how attractive or appealing the idea was. It didn't matter
that the idea of letting go for a few hours, instead of a few
minutes, sounded downright decadent. She had work in the morning,
and he looked like the type to keep her up until the crack of
dawn.
He reached forward, placing a hand on the
back of the barstool. A presumptive action that drew her attention.
She glared at the limb. A little rough but mostly refined. He
didn't work hard often. And because her job was about appearances,
she noted how he claimed her space. Claimed her. With a hand. A
very male hand. A light dusting of hair climbed up his forearm, a
sinew of muscle on display from his grip on the chair. His leg
touched hers again and he didn't move it.
Her breathing deepened. A very masculine
forearm. She had to work to keep the glare in place when she met
his gaze.
“ You look nervous,” he said.
“Want me to leave?”
Yes. Her nerves jumped, settling in her stomach and making it so
hard to stick to the plan of keeping things between them light. Of
not being tempted by the idea of letting go. Nicole glanced around
the room, and more than one man moved their gaze from her
direction. “Hell no. Right now you're keeping the wolves at
bay.”
A low groan rumbled from his chest, raising
the hair on her arms. “I'm being used. How tawdry.”
He talked a good game. Nicole could give him
that. Unfortunately, his game sent her heart racing with excitement
and anticipation. “For some reason my bullshit radar is going off.
I don't think you mind being used by a woman.”
A languid and knowing smile spread across his
face. “Depends on what she's using me for.”
The bartender slid their drinks in front of
them, and she wasted no time knocking hers back. The faster Nicole
was out of the bar and up in her room, the faster she could avoid
making a mistake. One that involved sweat, come and a bleary-eyed
morning. It's the reason she didn't bother with men and
relationships anymore. They sucked up time and sometimes good
sense. She couldn't afford to lose either. Nicole was on the fast
track. A night with this man demanded slow and all her
attention.
The smile was reeling her
smarts, too. “That's pretty deep for the whole pick up bit.” He
shrugged. Nicole considered him again. Damn. Damn. “I'll pay for
the drinks. Another shot of tequila, and then I'm done. I've got
work in the morning.” She dug in her clutch purse on the bar's top
for a twenty and handed it to him.
“ Me, too.” He took the money
without protest. “I'm only here for the weekend, and then it's back
to L.A. for me.”
“ Same here, but not
L.A.”
He turned to order their
drinks and the full confession hit her. What was she doing telling
a handsome stranger her plans for the weekend, as though they were
coming to an agreement? I won't be here for
long. I've got to work in the morning. Not too much to drink
because...
Yeah, she felt lust, but that didn't mean
anything. She felt lust for George Clooney. Didn't mean she planned
to hump him any time soon. Nicole narrowed her gaze when he faced
her again. She had to nip this attraction in the bud, because it
was too easy to imagine him lifting her dress and keeping up in the
fast lane.
“ I'm not looking for a hook
up,” she said.
“ Neither am I.”
He didn't sound completely
against one. Not from the tone he used. A tone much like her own,
if Nicole thought hard about it. The idea took root in her mind.
Something light and frothy to ease all the pressure leaving her
limbs stiff at the end of the work day. End. There wasn't one, not really.
Publicity, good publicity, had no final destination. Resting on
one's laurels didn't exist in her world.
Effortlessly, the man sowed the idea of sex
with his quips, the smiles, and something as innocent as their legs
brushing against one another. Their limbs connected, his so warm
along hers. She would not have a one night stand with a stranger no
matter how attractive or appealing the idea was. It didn't matter
that the idea of letting go for a few hours, instead of a few
minutes, sounded downright decadent. She had work in the morning,
and he looked like the type to keep her up until the crack of
dawn.
He reached forward, placing a hand on the
back of the barstool. A presumptive action that drew her attention.
She glared at the limb. A little rough but mostly refined. He
didn't work hard often. And because her job was about appearances,
she noted how he claimed her space. Claimed her. With a hand. A
very male hand. A light dusting of hair climbed up his forearm, a
sinew of muscle on display from his grip on the chair. His leg
touched hers again and he didn't move it.
Her breathing deepened. A very masculine
forearm. She had to work to keep the glare in place when she met
his gaze.
“ You look nervous,” he said.
“Want me to leave?”
Yes. Her nerves jumped, settling in her stomach and making it so
hard to stick to the plan of keeping things between them light. Of
not being tempted by the idea of letting go. Nicole glanced around
the room, and more than one man moved their gaze from her
direction. “Hell no. Right now you're keeping the wolves at
bay.”
A low groan rumbled from his chest, raising
the hair on her arms. “I'm being used. How tawdry.”
He talked a good game. Nicole could give him
that. Unfortunately, his game sent her heart racing with excitement
and anticipation. “For some reason my bullshit radar is going off.
I don't think you mind being used by a woman.”
A languid and knowing smile spread across his
face. “Depends on what she's using me for.”
The bartender slid their drinks in front of
them, and she wasted no time knocking hers back. The faster Nicole
was out of the bar and up in her room, the faster she could avoid
making a mistake. One that involved sweat, come and a bleary-eyed
morning. It's the reason she didn't bother with men and
relationships anymore. They sucked up time and sometimes good
sense. She couldn't afford to lose either. Nicole was on the fast
track. A night with this man demanded slow and all her
attention.
The smile was reeling her
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