Page 8 of Blue Hawaiian
Or…
Gritting her teeth, she knocked on Connor’s door.
No answer. Was it possible he’d fallen asleep already? Her pulse raced as she tried again, rapping with a little more force.
He opened the door and gave her a wicked smile. “I’m glad you changed your mind about a nightcap. And you brought your own ice. Very thoughtful.” He took her elbow and ushered her in.
For a moment, she could barely move, aware he was looking her over, taking in her nighttime ensemble. His gaze lingered on her bare legs and stopped at her chest, where her nipples were visible through the thin cotton shirt. Her face flamed, but she didn’t allow herself to look away. Bad idea, since he was wearing nothing but pajama bottoms, putting his bare chest on display. She recalled lying in bed with him, placing soft kisses on his chest, as her mouth moved lower and lower down his body…
Get a grip, Jess.
She walked over to the couch and plopped down on it. With a flush of embarrassment, she crossed her arms, trying to hide her traitorous nipples, which had tightened at the thought of his touch. “I came because I got locked out.”
“Already? We’ve only been here fifteen minutes.”
“My key card isn’t working.”
“You used it earlier.”
She groaned in frustration. “The clerk gave ustwocards, remember?Just in case? This one’s a dud. Now I can’t get into my room. I need you to go to the lobby and ask the clerk to fix my card.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Kind of bossy, aren’t we?”
Bastard. He was enjoying this far too much. “Please? I can’t go down there like this.” She tugged on the L.A. Dodgers shirt, wishing it covered more of her. “Will youpleasehelp me out?”
His smug expression was almost unbearable. “Maybe. What do I get in return?”
She swallowed, aware of his nearness and her growing desire. But she was stressed and exhausted. Hardly the best time to be making decisions of a sexual nature. “Depends on what you’re asking.”
“Share a drink with me.” He gestured to a bottle of brandy, sitting on top of the room’s mini fridge. “Valois Brandy, courtesy of Blackwood Cellars.”
His offer sounded more enjoyable than drinking by herself. But she needed to be cautious. She’d made too many stupid mistakes while under the influence. “I don’t know if that’s such a good idea.”
“Come on. One drink. I need to unwind, and I’d rather not do it alone.”
Back when they were waiting for the shuttle, he’d looked unsettled. Maybe he just wanted to talk.
She handed him the bucket. He filled two hotel glasses with ice, uncapped the brandy, and poured it into the glasses. She took one and tried a sip. The taste reminded her of whiskey, only sweeter, and filled her with a delicious, soothing warmth.
“Thanks. I needed that,” she said.
“You and me both.”
There it was again—the slight edge to his voice. “Aren’t you happy to be here? I thought you and Marc were close.”
He set the bottle on an end table and grabbed a shirt from the bed. After putting it on, he joined her on the couch. “I’d do anything for my cousin. But I can’t say the same for the rest of my family. The less time spent with my dad, the better. Yesterday afternoon, I left a business proposal on his desk. He’ll probably tear me a new one when he gets here.”
At Big Bear, Connor’s dad had always come across as a hard-ass. Whenever Connor had gotten into trouble—and he’d gotten intoplentyof trouble—Brian Blackwood had punished him harshly. More than once, Jess was there to offer sympathy when Connor complained about his dad’s unfair treatment.
“Things aren’t going well at Blackwood Cellars?” she asked.
“For everyone else, maybe. Not for me.”
“Darren still the same as ever?” If there was one Blackwood she didn’t miss, it was Connor’s older brother, Darren, who always treated Jess and Gabi like they didn’t belong up at the lake.
“He’s gotten worse. He lives for the chance to humiliate me in front of his underlings, since I can’t do a damn thing about it.” Connor let out his breath. “Forget it. How’s the writing gig going?”
“How’d you know I was writing?”
