Page 15 of Royally Ruined

I’d stopped listening when I noticed the cherry-red color of his earlobes. “I’m such an idiot,” I scoffed. “I can’t believe I let you stay outside without giving you your jacket back!” I was very familiar with winter chills. “My nose looks like Rudolph’s after a mere minute of exposure.”

“It’s fine,” he said, and if he’d had more planned, it ended on the tip of his tongue. Without thinking it through I’d lifted my hand up to feel his nearest earlobe. I’d done it partially out of compassion ... but mostly because of stupid curiosity.

His skin was silky—a hard man like him shouldnothave felt so soft. But he did. And now I knew that intoxicating fact. A very silly “Oh” tumbled out of my open mouth. I yanked my hand back and buried it in my lap like it had a mind of its own and might jump on him again. “S-sorry, uh, that was weird and Iknowit was weird and ... and ... I’m going to go use the restroom!” After tumbling sideways and nearly landing on my ass, I sprinted the short distance into the only privacy-offering space in the motel room. Once I was inside, I twisted the tiny lock and fell back onto the toilet seat cover.

Holy. Fuck.

Pushing my hair off my forehead, I caught a glimpse of myself in the worn-out mirror. I was red and shiny, like someone who’d done something very, very wrong.Why is he getting me so worked up?I asked myself in frustration.

Mirror-Me looked back in disbelief.

“Okay,” I whispered with a tiny laugh. “You’re right, he’s smoldering and sexy and I’ve got a thing about guys withbadasswritten all over them.”

Gina had warned me about this several times. I don’t know why she got to judge me, though; she’d fallen for a few “rough” dudes in her time, to put it mildly.

I heard the mattress rustle outside the door. My heart jolted, but it was my cell phone in my skirt pocket that tore my insides in two. “Son of a!” I gasped, looking at the buzzing screen.

Gina:Are you okay?

Her text filled me with joy. I hunched on the toilet, and my thumbs were a blur.

Me:Sort of! But who cares! Are YOU okay??

Her message came fast.

Gina:I think I’m going to sue that damn club.

That made me grin. Her next text wiped the grin away.

Gina:Where are you?

Glancing at the door, I pictured Costello on the other side. Was he waiting for me? I typed a quick message back:A motel.

Gina:Um. With who?

I stared up at the ceiling and bit the inside of my cheek.

Me:Costello.

Instantly my phone blew up with tons ofWhat? WHAT? WTF?and other such things. I watched her fill my screen, and when she finally stopped, I hesitated with a response. Before I could type, she was at it again.

Gina:So I didn’t dream all that. Scotch, just because he saved you doesn’t mean you had to sleep with him.

Blushing furiously, I came close to throwing my phone in the tub. A gentle rap on the door startled me. Costello asked, “Are you okay in there?”

“I’m fine!” I shot back. “Just ... cleaning up for bed.”Oh, good, just make it clear you’re assuming you’re spending the night here with him.

He went silent. When I was sure he was gone, I typed into my phone.

Me:I didn’t sleep with him! Nothing happened!

Gina:Okay, well, if you do, tell me how he is. I want all the details. As in get a tuning fork and tell me how his moans vibrate. Quiet types make me wonder.

I crushed the device in my palm and breathed out. The thing is, I was wondering, too. Giving the door a sidelong look, I moved my thumbs.

Me:Are you really okay? You looked so roughed up.

Gina:Doctor says I’m fine and I feel fine. They gave me a ton of drugs ... I don’t think this place is legal, to put it nicely.

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