I looked around the room when I heard the phone buzz. I leaned over a pile of pillows and grabbed the receiver.
“Hello?”
“Hello, this is the front desk.”
“Hi.”
“I have a delivery for a Ms. Dupont.”
“Me? What is it?” I couldn’t imagine what was at the desk. We hadn’t ordered food yet. “I’m not expecting anything. It might be for one of the other girls.”
“No, no. It specifically says Natalia Dupont.”
“Oh. Okay, I guess I’ll be down in a few minutes.”
“Thank you, Ms. Dupont.”
I hung up and knocked on the bathroom door. “Hey, Heather, I have to run down to the front desk to pick up something. I’ll be right back.”
“Okay, I’m almost finished,” she called through the door.
She had been in there at least fifteen minutes. I doubted she was in a rush to get out.
I picked up the second key card and shoved it in my jacket pocket. I tried to think of what was waiting for me downstairs as I rode the elevator to the lobby level.
As soon as the doors retracted, I knew. He didn’t have to turn around for me to recognize him.
Sam.
He must have heard the elevator ding because he spun around to face me.
I was afraid to approach him. My heart pounded. I was certain he’d be able to hear it. I froze next to the elevators.
Was it stupid that I wanted to run and jump in his arms? At the same time, I couldn’t move.
“Natalia.” His eyes lit up and it all came flooding back.
The night in Austin together. The night I gave myself to him completely. The night that haunted me no matter what I tried to do to forget it.
He walked toward me and I felt the blood rush through my veins.
“Wh-what are you doing here?” I stammered.
“I wanted to see you,” he replied.
God, that voice. It was smooth and low and made my core start to ache.
I looked around the lobby, realizing one of the Goddesses could spot us talking. I grabbed his arm and pulled him into the closest room I could find. It was a ballroom the hotel used for conferences. It was dark inside, and I suddenly realized this might be worse than being seen together in the light.
“We can’t… We said we wouldn’t…” I couldn’t put a full sentence together.
Sam’s hands rested on my face and pulled my mouth toward him. I took a breath before his lips descended on mine. I didn’t know if it was instinct, want, or pure misery from missing him, but I threw my arms around his neck and kissed him harder than I’d ever kissed anyone in my life. His tongue whipped wickedly over my tongue and I moaned when I felt his teeth nip along my bottom lip, dragging it playfully.
“God,” he groaned. “It’s better. It’s how I remembered.”
“Don’t stop.” I reached for his lips again, inhaling his mouth, pressing into him with my body.
It felt as if there was fire in my fingertips as I roamed his body. I couldn’t touch him enough, or cut the distance between us. I panted with ever