a

Mostly because I already stuffed my face, but still. He's pissing me off,

n't told me w

ink he'd stop me, not in such a crowded place-but where would I go? It's dark and I'm on an unfamiliar

the most poorly pl

and I took it without hesitating, because

usly let you pay for this lovely meal, and you promi

ment. "Let me get you a room a

he didn't say come back to my room, he said, let me get you a

you said you didn't want

does that end? You still haven't told me where you're sleeping tonight. I suspect you ha

back and stand. "Thank you for y

and I stare at it with wide eyes-and drops an absurd amount on th

I turn to face him in the dark overhang of an insurance office and tilt my

k bumps into the brick of the

aid-I should start kicking and screaming-but it's the look h

imple lust, like he wants to

n't seen in a very

all that cliché relationship stuff. I was totally smitten-because I was eighteen and he was twenty-four and had more mo

while,

n. At first, just a slap here, a shove there. Always he apologized afterward and begged forgivenes

h control just to make sure I never got pregnant-not that we were sleeping toge

etting myself tra

ver experienced before. To Christopher, I was a maid he occasion

e I'm the only pe

says softly, still staring at me intently. "No da

"I don't understand why

you believe me if I said that

your charity case." Besides, based on the look

ned, but this man has

cards you tried to use back at the bar will work. Maybe they do, and you have a warm bed tonight. Maybe they don't, and you are lost. Or you can come back to the Drake. I'll book you

so te

absurdly

so stupidly beautiful, like a massive Gree

e on my neck and hear his

only, and even if I hate my ex-husband and wouldn't mind goi

all and here I am, head dizzy, desperation in my stomach, knowing full well that if I turn him down, I might end up

n my own, and things

or once in my short and stupid an

" I wh

nd mouth, and I want him to lean forward. I want him to kiss me so badly it's like an ache bet

ulls away. "F