“I’ve never been able to keep up with him.”
This time I lean back and take a prolonged look at Trevor Willis, his handsome features, and sexy, casual confidence. “That doesn’t make any sense.”
“It’s true. I’m awkward around women.”
“You don’t seem awkward to me.”
“You’re different,” he says as he moves closer.
“I’m a woman.”
“Oh, Shana, you are definitely a woman.”
My breathing accelerates as his lips near mine. Cinnamon fills my senses as we kiss. It’s soft and fresh, growing warmer by the second. When we pull away, I smile. “Definitely not awkward.”
“Cynthia, my pretend date, is engaged to my friend Eric,” Trevor says. “He’s also an engineer. We work for the same firm in New York. He’s been working on a project here in Indianapolis. When I was talking to them about Duncan’s wedding, Cynthia said she would be coming to town to visit Eric and would be happy to be my date. At first, we joked about it, but then it seemed like a good idea. Eric knows it’s not real. Heck, he thinks it’s funny. So, I RSVP’d for two.
“You see, Duncan and I are as different as night and day. We get along, yet there’s always this brotherly competition. He went through some shit when we were young, but well, since then, he can never do anything wrong. It’s not that I want to be like him. I’m happy. It’s that I sometimes feel...”
“Don’t tell her not to come,” I say, reaching out and touching his arm.
Trevor covers my hand with his. “I am most certain that I’d rather be with you.”
“I’d like that. But if you and Duncan are in competition, wouldn’t picking up the bride’s best friend be kind of a shitty thing to do on his wedding day? Or would I be that one person to up you in the competition?”
Trevor’s eyes open wide. “Never.” He turns our hands until our fingers intertwine. “This isn’t about Duncan. I like you. I liked you from the moment I saw you, right here in the glow of fake embers.”
We lean closer, our lips once again touching. “I like you too, but tomorrow is about my best friend. I don’t want her thinking about anything but her big day and…”
“And?” he asks.
“Her crazy family.” I giggle recalling Grandma Helen. “Seriously, she has enough on her mind.”
Letting go of my hand, Trevor’s warm palm skirts up and down my arm. My flesh ignites as butterflies flutter to life in my stomach. And then, it’s more. The Fireball, wine, lack of sleep, and irresistible attraction all move together, brewing a terrible queasiness inside of me.
“Oh,” I say, jumping up. “I’m going to be sick…”
Shana
My eyes close as I hold tightly to the cup of coffee and shake my head. “Oh dear Lord, I threw up.”
Trevor laughs. “In the fire pit.”
“All over the glowing red rocks.” Setting the coffee cup down on the table, I cradle my head. “No. That can’t be. I kind of go blank after that.”
“Then you missed my finest hour.”
Peering upward I smile. “That competition thing. According to Kimbra, if I experienced your finest hour, your brother wins. She says she couldn’t forget.”
“Oh, that’s mean,” Trevor says. “Believe me, neither would you.”
“Right. Because nothing turns a man on like a puking woman.”
“Hey, my competition with my brother has nothing to do with notches. Eat more of your toast, and let me fill in the blanks.”
Pulling my knees up to my chest, I wrap the robe over my legs and nibble the edges of the toast as Trevor speaks.
“You were embarrassed about the little accident in the fire pit, so much so that you didn’t want to go back into the bar. You made us leave through the hedges.”
“Oh no. Really? I’m not sure I want to know more.”
Trevor sits back with his cup of coffee and smiles. The way the green glistens in his eyes eases a bit of my embarrassment. “Are you sure? It’s pretty good.”
“Okay. I do.”
“We slid out of the patio through the hedges, but the patio isn’t on the ground level.”
My blood races as I try to remember. He’s right. I had to ride the escalator up to the lobby level. The same level as the bar. “I seem to remember that there was a parking garage.”
His laugh rings through the suite. “And a fence, which I must say, you scaled very nicely in your dress and heels.”
“My dress ripped!”
“Yes.”
I peek under the robe. “That’s why I have on your shirt.”
“That,” he says, “and because once we made it back into the hotel, via some questionable ‘employee only’ tunnels, your purse was missing. You went to the desk, but as the bellman said, they wouldn’t give you a new key without your identification.”
“That’s how I ended up here in your suite.”
Trevor nods as he finishes the last of the bacon.
“So we didn’t…”
He stands and moves closer, each step predatory, his green gaze never wavering, until he is standing right in front of me. Offering me his hand, I take it and stand. His solid chest presses against my breasts as he reaches for my waist, holding us close until our hearts beat against the other. “Shana Price,” he breathes my name. “We didn’t make love. Not because I didn’t or don’t want to. It’s that last night you weren’t in a position to consent. If it ever happens—which I’m still hoping it does—I promise, you’ll remember.”
By the way my insides flutter and pinch, I am most certain he is right about that. “What now?”
Trevor leans toward me until our lips connect. Bacon and toast, lingering cinnamon, and coffee may not sound like an intoxicating concoction, but it is. I’m lost as we melt together.
“Now,” he says, “we have a wedding to attend. Tomorrow, time will tell.”
“Tomorrow,” I say sadly, “I’m headed back to London.”
“And I’m headed back to Washington.” Taking a step back, he lifts my hand and kisses my knuckles. “And if you think that distance is going to stop me from learning more about the most amazing woman to ever end up in my hotel suite, you’d be wrong.”
“I would?”
“You would. And if you don’t want the bride and groom to know, we’ll keep it between us.”
“Our secret night,” I say, as much a statement as a question.
“Our secret one, my lady. However, you should know that each time I look at you during the wedding and at the reception, I’m imagining what our future could hold.”
“How will I ever be able to concentrate on Kimbra?”
“She can have you today. I want what’s after that.”
“Time will tell.”
Not The End...Only The Beginning!
Thank you for reading this short, fun novella.
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Books by New York Times bestselling author Aleatha Romig
ALEATHA’S LIGHTER ONES:
PLUS ONE
Stand-alone fun, sexy romance
Released May 2017
A Secret One
Released April 2018
ANOTHER ONE
Released May 2018
ONE NIGHT
Stand-alone, sexy contemporary romance
Released September 2017
THE INFIDELITY SERIES:
BETRAYAL
Book #1
Released October 2015
CUNNING
Book #2
Released January 2016
DECEPTION
Book #3
Released May 2016
ENTRAPMENT
Book #4
Released September 2016
FIDELITY
Book #5
Released January 2017
RESPECT
A stand-alone Infidelity novel
January 2018
THE CONSEQUENCES SERIES:
CONSEQUENCES
(Book #1)
Released August 2011
TRUTH
(Book #2)
Released October 2012
CONVICTED
(Book #3)
Released October 2013
REVEALED
(Book #4)
Previously titled: Behind His Eyes Convicted: The Missing Years
Re-released June 2014
BEYOND THE CONSEQUENCES
(Book #5)
Released January 2015
RIPPLES
Released Oct 2017
CONSEQUENCES COMPANION READS:
BEHIND HIS EYES-CONSEQUENCES
* * *
Released January 2014
BEHIND HIS EYES-TRUTH
Released March 2014
THE LIGHT DUET:
Published through Thomas and Mercer Amazon exclusive
INTO THE LIGHT
Released 2016
AWAY FROM THE DARK
Released 2016
TALES FROM THE DARK SIDE SERIES:
INSIDIOUS
(All books in this series are stand-alone erotic thrillers)
Released October 2014
DUPLICITY
(Completely unrelated to book #1)
Release TBA
THE VAULT:
UNCONVENTIONAL
Released individually
January 1, 2018
About the Author
Aleatha Romig is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author who lives in Indiana, USA. She grew up in Mishawaka, graduated from Indiana University, and is currently living south of Indianapolis. Aleatha has raised three children with her high school sweetheart and husband of over thirty years. Before she became a full-time author, she worked days as a dental hygienist and spent her nights writing. Now, when she's not imagining mind-blowing twists and turns, she likes to spend her time a with her family and friends. Her other pastimes include reading and creating heroes/anti-heroes who haunt your dreams!
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Aleatha released her first novel, CONSEQUENCES, in August of 2011. CONSEQUENCES became a bestselling series with five novels and two companions released from 2011 through 2015. The compelling and epic story of Anthony and Claire Rawlings has graced more than half a million e-readers. Aleatha released the first of her series TALES FROM THE DARK SIDE, INSIDIOUS, in the fall of 2014. These stand-alone thrillers continue Aleatha's twisted style with an increase in heat.
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In the fall of 2015, Aleatha moved headfirst into the world of dark romantic suspense saga with the release of BETRAYAL, the first of her five-novel INFIDELITY series that has taken the reading world by storm. She also began her traditional publishing career with Thomas and Mercer. Her books INTO THE LIGHT and AWAY FROM THE DARK were published through this mystery/thriller publisher in 2016.
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In the spring of 2017, Aleatha released her first stand-alone, fun, and sexy romantic comedy with PLUS ONE, followed by ONE NIGHT.
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Aleatha is a "Published Author's Network" member of the Romance Writers of America and PEN America. She is represented by Kevan Lyon of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.
Aleatha Romig, A Secret One
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