“Tell Margaret I’m sorry. I can’t make it tonight.” I fight the urge to open the unlocked box and satiate my curiosity. But now that I’ve met her, and I know what this is and what it means to her, it feels wrong.
“What? I already talked her up to double the pricefor you. Do you understand? You begged me for first right of refusal and now you’re?—”
“I know.”
Silence.
“Rina, I’ll call you tomorrow to accept my verbal lashing, I promise. But I’m serious. Something came up. I have to go.”
I hang up. Turn off my phone. Swivel on my heel. Before I know it, I’m marching right back to the elevator bay.
I’m an idiot. A complete, certifiable idiot.
But I’m already in the penthouse elevator, box cradled in my arms like a baby. Already swiping the keycard for coveted access to the most elite guest in this hotel. Already picturing the surprise on her face when I roll in like some poor man’s Prince Charming, hand-delivering this talisman like the hero she never asked for.
The numbers climb.
This is insanity. My brain’s been hijacked by one too many romance books. I silently vow to detox with at least one Brandon Sanderson fantasy beast before I completely lose my man card in the land of big romantic gestures, bedroom eyes, and happily-ever-afters.
The elevator doors open.
And there she is.
Charlie. Standing in the foyer, flushed and out of breath like she just sprinted a 5K in flip-flops. Still rocking that ridiculous shirt with the most gigantic Tweety Bird you could ever conjure up.And fuck’s sake, she’s clutching The Detonator in one handlike it’s a damn TV remote she absentmindedly grabbed while rushing to catch the UPS guy.
“My box,” she breathes out.
“Someone left it on the front desk.” I hand it over promptly.
Lost in a moment of nostalgia, she runs her free fingers over the faded painted hearts. “That was really nice of you. I guess you ended up the delivery man after all.”
I nod. “And fully open to tips. Big tips. Like four thousand dollars to help me make up for the night I just lost out on.”
Carefully tucking the box under her arm, she points at my chest with The Detonator, the bottom arm dangling around menacingly. “Hey, that was your choice, buddy. You could’ve walked right past.”
No, I couldn’t. Not with those tears in your eyes.
I make eye contact with the vibrator and immediately regret it. “I see you two have bonded. Did you already put that thing to good use in the five minutes I’ve been gone?”
Her jaw drops like a cartoon anvil, and she fumbles the vibrator like a hot potato between her hands before unintentionally turning it back on again. She slaps it against the chest of her shirt, clutching it desperately and using Tweety’s giant head to muffle the vibration. “No. I wasn’t. You forgot it. I figured I’d…”
I raise an eyebrow, a smile tugging at the corner of my mouth. “You were coming after me?” I tease, gesturing at the vibrator still clutched against Tweety’s face. My heart does a small, unexpected flip.
We stare at each other just listening to the awkward vibrations, pretending we don’t know where that sound is coming from.
“Well, I’m here. What did you want?”
She shrugs. “Truthfully, I don’t know. I just um…never mind.” She hands over the vibrator like it’s painfullyembarrassing to do so. “I hope you have a nice date…or party…or wherever you’re going.” She waves the big black two-dicked sex toy in the air. “And I sincerely hope there are no fatalities because of this thing tonight.”
God, I can read her like my favorite book.
I run a hand through my hair. “Job got canceled. The client’s pissed. Doesn’t want to see me. And now, I’m finding myself very available tonight.” My voice comes out rougher than intended.
She shakes her head, her hair catching the amber light from the sconce behind her, making her whole head glow. “I need another secret,” she says, fingers tracing the worn edges of her box. “Collateral. Something really embarrassing. Because I’m about to drop another big one on you.”
The elevator door beeps—a shrill, impatient sound—and attempts to murder me, steel jaws closing on my shoulder. I jam my elbow against the rubber edge, wincing at the pressure. Charlie steps backward across the plush carpet, making room for me to stay in her orbit.
“Okay. Um…” I step fully into her space, the doors finally surrendering behind me. “I got high with my cat tonight. Like, those were my actual plans this evening until I got the call about a job.”
