“You walked up to a stranger in a crowded bar, Eden.” The shape of her name on my tongue felt sinful and so very right. “I’d say that’s pretty bold.”
“I guess I did,” she agreed, one corner of her mouth tugging upward.
It was like watching her bloom with fresh confidence, as though I’d gifted her with something precious by giving a completely deserved compliment.
We drank, falling into silence side by side, until Eden swiveled toward me again. Her gaze dropped to the champagne bubbling in her flute, then lifted to me as she smiled. Something flashed through her eyes, a hint of vulnerability behind the renewed boldness of her expression, a crashing wave that disappeared before I could identify it.
“Are you staying here?” she asked.
I blinked. “At the bar?”
“At the hotel.”
Heat washed over my face. I closed my eyes against the flare of embarrassment and muttered, “Right. The hotel. Yes, I have a room for the weekend.”
Her fingers tapped at her glass for a moment, then I watched as one fingertip stroked along the stem. I swallowed a groan. No matter what Olivia hoped I might gain from an acquaintance with the woman at my side, this was probably nothing more than a friendly drink.
At just over six feet tall with a shaggy, russet kind of vibe—a full beard I kept trimmed short and curly auburn hair just a bittoo long because I never had time for a haircut—I was what most women seemed to consider as a harmless big brother type. Even at a convention full of nerds, it made sense for a woman alone to seek out a friendly presence rather than braving a bar full of annoying dude bros on the prowl.
I could do that. I could be a shelter for her, a shield while she celebrated her mysterious success and then went on her way.
In fact, I was so committed to not being a dick that when Eden’s hand settled on my knee, I almost choked on a sip of my drink. It wasn’t aggressive, not even suggestive, not yet—just warm and tentative.
“I’ve never done this before,” she said softly, “but Milo…I wondered if you might like to continue celebrating with me. In your room. Tonight.”
Shock zipped through me, followed by lust so potent I couldn’t breathe. For one brief, embarrassing second, I wondered if I was being pranked, but another flare of vulnerability appeared in her eyes as she waited for my response.
Maybe I should say no. Maybe it’d be better to enjoy the evening in the safety of this public space and then tuck her into a cab.
But if her vision of celebration could double as my consolation, was I really going to deny either of us?
“Yes, Eden,” I replied, my voice low. “I’d like that very much.”
The smile that split her face was radiant, but it was the way her fingers tensed on my knee that swept the breath straight outof my lungs. I set my hand over hers and she rotated her palm, twining her fingers with mine.
“Do you want to finish your drink?” she whispered.
“Not really,” I whispered back, grinning.
Eden released my hand for a moment to grab some bills from her purse and laid them on the bar, then she caught my fingers again and pulled me toward the lobby.
Thinking that maybe my luck had finally turned around, I followed her to the elevators. The doors closed behind us and her lips parted for one breathless second as we stared at one another, then she moved.
Straight into me.
I caught her at the waist just as her arms went around my neck, caught her mouth as it lifted to mine. She tasted like strawberries and champagne and all my darkest fantasies. With my fingers tangled in her thick locks, I kissed her until I forgot where we were.
The elevator dinged when we reached my floor, breaking through the haze. We stepped apart, those few inches clearing my brain just enough to realize we needed to move before the doors closed again, then I led her to my room.
We paused just inside the door when she tangled her fingers in my hair and dragged me down for another searing kiss. It consumed me like I wanted to consume her—every taste, every sound, every touch—then she took my hand andled me toward the bed.
“Eden,” I breathed against the soft skin of her throat. “You’re sure about this?”
“Yes.”
Her response was beautiful in its simplicity, forceful in the confidence behind the word, and I wanted to drop to my knees and thank my lucky stars for sending this siren into my path.
“I only have one condom,” I said, though I was more than willing to make it count.
