Joey flashed that grin, that pearly-white sliver of teeth, one corner o

w exactly what

, but he'd been right – that was exactly what had been on my mind. And it'd been the same when he'd asked me what was g

willing to give them seemed to back off. Something about a self-assured woman who knew exactly what

large barrier to prevent him from bringing up the subject of our past. He breezed through it,

s well. But he hadn't gone any further, having

in my life since high school and the business I'd

s," he said, topping off both of our glasse

W

e solemn. "Do you be

have accomplished anything. I'd believe you if you told me you wer

n I learned you ran a

th a few words. It was easy to see why he had no trouble getting any girl he wanted in high

part-time for a party-planning company in Fort Collins. But the more I did it, the mo

e of a planned event and seeing

u get to meet a lot of interesti

t to live a nice, simple life until men from my past show up, ask me to participate in a p

appened between him and Crystal? And where had the child gone? Wor

it's like to

an him having a child with Crystal and raising it with her. After all,

ha

use she was pregnant with your child; I'm not hung up on

it's like to

an him having a child with Crystal and raising it with her. After all,

ha

use she was pregnant with your child; I'm not hung up on

ve absconded with Crystal in order to marry her, only for her to miscarry. What other expla

out of curiosity." We do

llowed and cleared his throat. "This is nice," he said quickly, as if he needed to change the subject as so

me. He smiled, and I knew that the subject of h

." I haven't had a female friend

r history made my

e, I don't

t smirk and roll my eyes. "Come on," I en

riously, that's one of the things about you and me that hurt

lose to the subject of our hi

pset about how things turned out betwe

what

loser. "You must sto

to, but leaning in brought me very close to him, close enough to smell h

tension. "Come on, that hasn'

lthy, attractive doctor has a d

nted to date, I could. But th

women whose friendships you obvious

tever was on his mind, he seemed to change his mind. Wa

soon as I swallowed it,

d. "Snuggle up. We should be on

ne plummeted lower and lower, I realized I'd gotten too comfortable – I'd

up doing something I should not be doing. And Joey

o a stop, the whirr

g for us," I said as I unbuc

d. "But I took car

hy

place they'd reserved. They had a car re

d? To wh

e approached the door, whi

rwell to the tarmac. "The whole point of a weekend package

and the clear, blue sky. We'd only been in the plane for a few

Bora, you might as well spend a weekend there." The whole

at the man made a

rom the plane's storage compartment. "When was the last ti

peak, but he cut me of

n with wine and old horror

of spending time with someone you knew well was

e and Dracula?" " I inqui

"But that's not wh

nto the back of the car

complet

nways by the driver. The airport was small and private, and I pre

ay at the spa, a day off to go on a hi

g like that? "Um, never," I said, my hair blowing in the wind. "To be honest

e chuckled. "I'm going to make sure you le

f unwinding did

by emphasizing what I had the moment I spoke

rassed, you're alw

airport. "It's the sun," he says. It's extremely bright. And

at the airport before the conversation could continue. Joey zipped out and grab

sure you'

ed, hands

very often – let me have this one, pretty please,"

ht," I said. That's

here?" " he inquired as w

oughts and focusing on the present mome

." There's so much to see and do here that we'l

g to sound like

to enjoy it a lot. The lights, the excitement, the palpable

ahead to a man in a dark

to admit that his enthusiasm was catching on. "I've

confirmed our identities, and

it," Joey chuckled. "I

seats, one row facing the other, and a small bar tucked away in the futuristic control panel. Joey opened it and

car pulled away from the

a rush of adrenaline the moment my lips touched the

ar's Palace," he predicted.

id. "You made a minor i

nice, but the penthouse suites are something else entirel

will be in this su

the day is ours." We can get something to

wasn't a Bora fan. The lights, the noise, the...everything had always struck me as a little gaudy. But as we got closer, the exci

the famous street was a sight to behold. As we drove p

Island was incredible. I wanted to look into eve

air positioned around a gorgeous fountain. The beauty of the water jets shooting high into the blue sky above mesmerized me. The front façade

r. Joey took a step forward and introduced himse

a grin on his face indicating he knew e

e," he said, taking my hand in his,

ugh the doors. And what I saw on the othe

Romanesque frescoes on the ceilings and intricate tapestries beneath our feet. Straight ahead w

lives at the hotel. Pretty waitresses zipped around, handing out free drinks with a wink and a smile, al

thing else

on, the Octavius Pentho

t is

front desk where he checked in. I was so over

lead us up. We took the elevator up, and the walls were a stunning mirrored gold. B

om, glass walls, and an amazing view of the city. The r

noticed Joey, out of the corner of my eye, handing a hundred dollars to ea

ll him saying that they made sure to get a multi-bedroom suite s

hat kind of anything a

lled my eyes. "

to the large, circular glass dining table near the wind

ops. And, yes, I did book a

tipl

But I wouldn't be surprised

his audacity. "Please tell me you didn't say th

hred of seriousness here," he said, still going through

an't possibly be suggesti

ch invitation. "What's the harm?" I mean,

al charm and warmth vanished in an instant. It reminded me of the type

k," before storming over to him, yanking my b

ha

said? " he ca

nd not even taking a moment to appreciate the luxury before

What's the worst part? My own mind was my worst enemy. I conjured up an image

over the bed, that cocky-as-eff smirk on his face, taking in the sight of my body in front

e world are

the fact that my pants were

you want," he'd say as he

re," I'd rub my thighs together, trying to distra

d, he'd leap onto the bed with surprising speed, one hand on the small of m

," he'd say, then pres

I let out another g

es. And I was smack d