“If I guess will you tell me?”

“No. My lips are sealed. When are you leaving?”

“As soon as I get packed.”

Jenna presses her lips together. “Did he tell you what to pack?”

“No, why?”

“I don’t know. Just asking.”

“Gah, you suck.”

She makes a face, runs to her room, and slams the door shut. I look at the flowers, smell them, and go finish packing. I want to take the flowers with me.

“Hey Jenna, how can I take these with me and not have them spill all over the place?”

“Got a box? Set them in a box,” she yells through her door.

Looking around, I don’t see anything, until she tosses one out of her room. “Here.” Then her door slams shut again. Damn, she definitely is avoiding me.

When I’m finally packed, I yell through her door that I’m leaving. She runs out and squishes me in a giant hug. “Have fun, birthday girl and I’ll see you on Sunday.” Then she skedaddles right back into her room, as though she can’t bear to face me. Weird. Shaking my head, I head to my car and hit the road.

Sexy Drew waits for me as I pull into his parking lot. It’s a gorgeous spring day, and he’s wearing a black t-shirt and faded jeans. He opens my car door, as usual, and pulls me into his arms.

“Happy Birthday weekend, gorgeous.”

For whatever reason, I’m unusually excited to see him.

“Thank you,” I bubble out. Then his warm, wet lips find mine and I sink into his embrace. My fingers weave into his thick, messy hair, and all I want to do is stand here and kiss him. But he ends my pleasure all too soon.

“Let’s get your things.” I pop open the trunk and he surprises me when he takes my things and instead of carrying them inside, he puts them in his car. Then he takes my hand and says, “Let’s go.”

“I … where … the flowers.”

His brows crease in confusion.

“I brought the gorgeous flowers you sent.”

“Ahh.” He nods.

He walks to the passenger’s side and retrieves them. “We’ll bring them, too.”

“Where are we going?”

“You’ll see.”

We drive downtown and he pulls up to the Conrad Indianapolis Hotel and a valet opens my door. I look at Drew and he gets out of the car and meets me, grabs my hand, and we walk inside to check in. Apparently he’s booked a suite for the weekend. He’s lost his mind.

Leaning in to him, I whisper, “Are you crazy? This is expensive!” He chooses to ignore me. The clerk hands him his keys and the bellman follows with our luggage on a cart. Once upstairs, the bellman gives us a brief tour of our one-bedroom suite and then leaves. When he’s gone, I say, “This is amazing, but Drew, it’s way too much.”

“Happy birthday to the love of my life. Now if you don’t stop with this train of thought, you’ll kill my pleasure. Don’t kill this for us, Cate.”

A bottle of iced champagne awaits us with two glasses and Drew heads over to uncork it. He holds up his glass and says, “Here’s to the girl who changed my life. Happy birthday, Cate.”

After we sip our tasty drinks, he announces that it’s room service tonight and tomorrow is a spa day for me. He’s lined up some sort of body treatment, massage, a manicure, and pedicure.

“And, by the way, their room service is supposed to be excellent.”

I’m stunned. I don’t know what to say. I suppose I look like some big goofy fool, because I say nothing. And then I start to cry. Not a full on ugly, boohoo cry. But an overwhelming type of cry. You know, the kind where you feel joy and loved.

“Don’t cry, babe. This is supposed to be fun for you.”

“It is,” I wail and sniff. “But I’ve never done these things before and I’m so affected—in a good way.”

He puts his hands on my shoulders and says, “Cate, look at me.”

I do as he says.

“This is only the beginning of all the things I want to do for you. So, sweet beautiful thing, you’d better get used to it in a big hurry.”

He’s all blurred as I look at him, and I smile, though it’s watery and icky, but he hugs me into his broad chest. And it’s exactly where I want to be.

In the morning, I slap Drew’s hands away as he wakes me.

“Don’t you want coffee and breakfast before you go to the spa?”

“Grr. What time is it?”

“Nine-thirty.”

“No, it’s not.” I stick my face back into my pillow, convinced he’s teasing me.

“Uh, yes it is. There’s a clock on the bedside table if you don’t believe me.”

Lifting my head, I take a quick look and am shocked to see he’s right. “Holy hell! How did I sleep this late?”

“Want me to tell you?”

Then I remember the night before and my face warms.

“Ahh, she still blushes at the thought of sex with her boyfriend.” I don’t know why, but I do.

“That wasn’t sex. What we did should be illegal.” I think about all the things his mouth did to me, and the places his fingers went, and I’m pretty sure my face is now red as an apple.

“God, I love it when your skin flushes like that.” His mouth moves to my neck and kisses me on my pulse point. “If you don’t get a move on, you’ll end up going to your spa appointment smelling like a freshly fucked woman. I don’t mind it, but I’m not sure if you do.”

Shit! I hop out of bed and make a dash for the shower, hearing his laughter follow me.

After a quick shower and some breakfast, we head off to the spa. Drew’s only getting a massage and says to meet him back in the room when I’m done.

The rest of the morning and early afternoon I am pampered, exfoliated, moisturized, massaged, hot-stoned, and given the hand and foot treatment. It’s amazingly relaxing and when I return to the room, I feel like a new woman.

Drew is watching hockey when I get back. He’s totally absorbed since the playoffs are set to begin in a couple of weeks. But as soon as I enter the room, he turns the TV off, and I’m the center of his world.

“You don’t have to do that,” I say.

He gives me a look like I’m one of the Velociraptors from Jurassic World and I just stepped off the screen and into the living room. “It’s your birthday weekend and I plan to be with you every moment. I can watch hockey any day of the week. Now, how was it?”

“Oh my goodness. It was like nothing I’ve ever experienced before.”

“Okay, now you’re stepping on my toes, babe. I thought I was your best.” He winks.

I laugh. “You know what I mean.”

“You loved it, then?”

“God, yeah!”

“Let me see your fingers and toes.”

I hold out my hands while I kick off my shoes.

“Nice. I’m gonna have to play with those toes a little.”

“Didn’t know you have a toe thing.”

“I don’t. But I kinda like yours. You hungry?”

“Starving.”

“Let’s go eat.”

During lunch we talk about mundane things, but then I turn the conversation down another lane. “I’ve been offered an internship this summer with a finance firm here in town. It’s a great opportunity and I’d like to take it.”

“Congratulations, Cate, that’s great! When did this happen?”

“This past week. One of my professors told me about and said it was a long shot, so I didn’t think much about it until they called and made me the offer yesterday.”

“You accepted, I presume?”

“Not exactly. I told them I’d let them know on Monday.”

“Why?”

“Because I need a place to live.”

He laughs. “What? Did you think I’d say no?”

I fidget with my napkin before answering. “No. It’s only that a whole summer is a lot longer than we’re used to, and my parents will freak at the idea of me living with you.”

“Hmm. I see. So you’re willing to give up a huge career enhancer because of a couple of minor glitches.”

He has a way of making my objections sound silly. “I guess it would be pretty damn stupid of me.”

“Look, we won’t get on each other’s nerves, if that’s what you’re worried about. I would love having you with me for an entire summer. In fact, I’ll go so far as to beg you to take the damn job. Please, oh please, Cate.”