Page 26 of Blue Hawaiian
He grabbed a couple of pillows and opted for the couch.
Given his height, it was hardly the most comfortable option. But one thought gave him consolation—Jess had ended up inhisbed and not Lance’s.
Chapter 10
Jess woke to bright sunlight streaming into the room. Her head throbbed like it had been slammed by Thor’s hammer. Her mouth was so dry she could barely swallow. And her stomach roiled with discomfort.
What the hell had she done?
She propped herself up on her elbow and forced her eyes fully open.
Oh God.
She was still wearing last night’s dress. And she was inConnor’sroom. She’d spent the night in his bed, but if the pillows on the couch were any indication, he hadn’t joined her.
She sat up slowly. The previous night’s antics came back in shameful waves. How could she have been so irresponsible? Four and a half cocktails. A Fireball. And no water in between to lessen the effects of the booze. She shuddered as she recalled Lance’s furious reaction after she turned him down.
That’s one bullet you’ve dodged.
But the bullet she hadn’t dodged? Connor. After spending all night fighting her attraction to him, she’d ended up in his bed. Her bossy white knight, who’d watched out for her but hadn’t laid a finger on her. Because if she and Connor had doneanything, she would have remembered it, no matter how plastered she was.
“Connor?” She rubbed her eyes. On the nightstand, a bottle of red Gatorade rested atop a sheet of paper, with the words “Drink Me” scrawled in Connor’s messy handwriting. Feeling like Alice in Wonderland, she uncapped the beverage and took a few grateful sips. In college, she and her roommates had kept a supply of Gatorade on hand to lessen their post-party hangovers.
After downing the rest of the bottle, she stood on unsteady legs. No sign of Connor anywhere. She checked the desk for a note. Nothing. After retrieving her purse from the bed, she fished out her phone, hoping he’d sent a text, but the battery had died.
Time to go back to her room and salvage the day. The first order of business was a searing-hot shower, followed by a vat of coffee.
Until she remembered another detail. No key card. She must have passed out while waiting for Connor to return with it. Rather than wake her, he’d let her sleep. She scanned the room for her card but didn’t spot it. She could look for it later, after she’d done some damage control.
She stumbled to the bathroom, splashed cold water on her face, and took stock.Hideous.Under no circumstances could she face Connor this way. She went back into his room and found one of the resort’s leopard-print bathrobes hanging in the closet. She grabbed it and returned to the bathroom. The shower had open glass panels rather than a curtain, which meant she’d be partially exposed.
To hell with it. She needed a shower.
She moaned in pleasure as the scalding hot spray coursed down her back. Thanks to the body wash and shampoo provided by the hotel—a Hawaiian brand that smelled like coconuts—she no longer reeked of booze. After giving herself a final rinse, she turned off the water. Only to freeze in shock when the bathroom door opened wide.
Shit.In her haste, she’d forgotten to lock it.
“Jess? You in there?” Connor stepped inside the bathroom.
Despite the cloud of steam she’d worked up, she was still visible. She scooted back toward the wall. “Go away!”
He stopped but didn’t turn away. In his eyes, she saw raw desire. The same powerful attraction they’d shared on the beach. She swallowed. If he took off his clothes and jumped in with her, all her willpower would vanish.
Shaking his head, he took a few steps back. “Sorry. I’ll wait for you in the room.” He walked out, shutting the door behind him.
She cursed her body’s traitorous reaction. Even now, she was fighting off fantasies of him stripping down to nothing, coming into the shower, and pressing his hard, naked body against hers. She dried herself off, then put on the plush bathrobe, belted it tightly, and left the bathroom.
Connor sat on his bed, scrolling through his phone. He pointed to the chair beside the desk. “Have a seat. We need to talk.”
Her hackles rose. “If you’re going to lecture me—”
“I am. What were you thinking last night? You were drunk off your ass.”
“So what? I wanted to get drunk. How else…” She broke off, not wanting to admit the truth.
His smile was far too knowing. “How else were you going to stomach sleeping with Lance? Is that what you were going to say?”
“No!”
