Page 60 of Sexy

What if I see him?

I bite my lip and a sick feeling takes over my stomach as I realize I don’t want to see him. He was fucking me in there a few days ago. Who knows how many other girls he’s had up here since then, but I never knew about them. This would be catching him in the act. And today, out on the rocks, I almost got the feeling he liked me. Maybe not desired me. Not the way he did the other night when I was his conquest. But still. I have this idea that we’re friends. That maybe he’s doing this because he really does think I’m pretty and I deserve a good guy.

I let out a long breath. Jesus Christ. I’m fantasizing about him. Just like all those other girls do. And he made it perfectly clear it was a one-night-only thing.

Tiffy, my inner voice says in that calm way I’ve trained it to do, better to know for sure that he’s a lying, cheating player than let this dream of capturing his heart go on any longer.

So I start walking again, this time not taking care to be quiet. Maybe he will hear me and stop whatever it is he’s doing?

When I reach the door I pull it open with force, slamming it against the side of the building.

But it’s empty.

Hmmm.

Where else might he have taken her? Out to those rocks? God, he could take her anywhere. He probably took her off the hotel grounds. So I go back the way I came and pull out my cell phone, tabbing my contact at the front desk.

“Landslide Hotel and Cas—”

“It’s Miss Preston. Does Fletcher Novak have an assigned parking space?”

“Yes ma’am. Next to the valet, spot…” Her keyboard clicks as she looks it up. “Spot 55E.”

“Thank you,” I say, and end the call. I’ll check there next. If he’s gone, then there’s no point in looking anywhere else for him, right?

But when I get to the garage and ask the valet guys where the space is, they point to a classic red Camaro with a white racing stripe down the center of the hood. A very Fletcher Novak kind of car.

He didn’t leave.

I check the pool next. But even though there are probably a hundred people out there at the weekly Saturday night adult swim, Fletcher is not.

I walk out towards the beach, which has far fewer people on it, and scan that too. I might be missing him, since it’s dark. But I don’t see any couples alone on the beach.

But I do see Elizabeth. I don’t know how I know it’s her, since I only just met her. But I do. And when another familiar shape walks across the sand and stops alongside her, my heart almost stops because it’s Cole.

I can’t hear the argument, but I know what those gestures mean. I’ve known Cole for years. I know what he looks like when he’s annoyed.

So he does like her. He went looking for her and now that he’s found her, he wants answers.

But if she’s here alone, then where is Fletcher?

I leave the beach and walk towards the parking lot, looking at them as I make my way to a tree.

I’ll just wait this out and see if Fletcher comes back. He’s probably gone to get her a drink.

A few minutes pass, and then Cole reaches down to Elizabeth and pulls her to her feet. His quick embrace tells me more than I wanted to know.

He might really like her.

They leave together and disappear into the crowd near the pool. At least he didn’t take her up to his room. I still have a chance.

Fletcher has to be around somewhere. So I head towards the front desk and wait until the girl at the counter is finished with a few guests, chewing my lip the entire time as I try to figure out what’s happening to my plan.

“Can I help—Oh, Miss Preston. Did you find Fletch’s car?”

Fletch. She must be on good terms with him. I’m sure they’ve fucked on the roof too. “Yes, but I’m looking for him. Have you seen him around?”

“Oh, yeah, he’s in his room. He called down for room service like an hour ago.”