With This Fling (Summersweet Island 5)

“It was a long time ago, sugar.” I clear my throat, feeling uncomfortable with the way she’s looking at me like she wants to give me a hug. And even more uncomfortable that I would let her and be more than satisfied with just having her arms wrapped around my middle, letting all of her goodness soak into me.

“And here I am getting all emotional just because my girls don’t really need me anymore.” She laughs softly, the sound warming up everything cold inside me after talking about my shitty childhood.

The rapid-fire dinging of several text messages blowing up her phone echoes through the quiet hotel room, and Laura quickly pulls it out of the back pocket of her shorts.

She lets out a little moan as she reads the screen of her phone, and my balls tighten at the throaty sound, imagining her making that sound while she rides my cock on that king-sized bed a few feet away.

“You good?” I ask, even as I have to shift my feet where I’m standing because I am suddenly not good, and my brain is now filled once again with dirty thoughts about this woman.

“Birdie just asked me to run to their place and grab another basket she forgot to give me that she needs me to take over to Sandbar cottages. Shepherd is at baseball practice, and Wren needs me to pick up her anti-nausea meds from the pharmacy the doctor called in for her. And she also wants an order of fried pickles from Dockside Eddy’s. Because that makes perfect sense.”

“See? They still need you,” I remind her.

Laura lets out the most adorable snort as she darkens the screen of her phone and then shoves it back in the pocket of her shorts. “You’re right. Some days, I’m exhausted from how much they need me.” She smiles at me, and I know she sort of means it, but not really. I know for a fact she would rather be completely dead on her feet as long as it meant her family was happy and taken care of.

It makes me want to tell her to sit down and let me handle things for her, just so she can have a break and take some time for herself. She’s turning into an actual real person with real feelings, and not just a body I want to fuck into next week and then leave without a second look back.

This is not good. This is really not good for me.

Before I know it, she’s walking back across the room toward me, and I’m pulling open the door and holding it for her as she crosses the threshold and steps out into the hallway.

“Thanks for the basket,” I tell her, nodding back over my shoulder as she turns to face me while I grip the door. “You need any help with anything?”

The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them. I should be happy she’s leaving, and I’m getting my hotel room back to myself, and I can get back to work and enjoy the quiet since we’re not going to do anything fun like get naked. But it suddenly sounds like the most depressing, lonely thing in the world. And I realize I would much rather follow Laura around, annoying the hell out of her, than literally anything else right now.

It’s just because I want to sleep with her. That’s it. She’s a hot piece of ass I want in my bed, and I’m clearly willing to do anything for it, including offering my help, talking about my shitty childhood, and giving up my alone time.

Yep, I have officially lost it.

“I’m good. I can take care of things just fine… by myself… like always.” She’s a little defensive when she speaks, but before I can say anything about how I know damn well she can take care of things and just wanted to help because I’m bored, she’s moving on to the next subject. “You have any dinner plans later?”

“Why? You want to take me out on a date? I no longer have a jacuzzi tub to offer you, but we could have just as much fun in my bed afterward.”

That’s it… go back to the harmless flirting. It’s safer that way.

Laura lets out an exasperated sigh that makes me laugh and forget about whatever fucking spell she’s cast over me that has me acting like a completely different person.

“You’re a pig,” she mutters, even as her eyes flicker over to the bed behind me, and I watch that adorable flush darken her cheeks again. “I hope you starve.”

“It was good to see you too, plus-one.”

“You’re not my plus-one,” she growls.

I’m still laughing when she stomps down the hallway and I close my door, knowing I’m going to have a hell of a lot of fun getting under that woman’s skin this week, and hopefully under her clothes.

While absolutely not getting my fucking feelings involved, because this is just about sex. That’s it. I need to get laid. I do not need to be worrying about making some woman’s life easier.

Two hours later, there’s another knock at my door. When I open it, LaVon hands me a Tupperware container with something wrapped in foil on top, along with a folded note. She says not a word to me in explanation, just gives me a smile and then quickly gets back on the elevator across the hall, waving at me and telling me to enjoy my night as the doors close.

Taking everything over to the counter of the small kitchenette area and setting it down, I pick up the note and open it.

Everyone should enjoy a home-cooked meal every once in a while.

Even someone as annoying as you.

Try not to choke on it.

—Laura