Oh God. Five minutes in his presence and I’m already hopeless. “I hope you don’t mind. It was a long flight,” I rush to say, flushing as I think about being in his personal space, using things he set out for me—mint shampoo and conditioner, lavender body wash, luscious towels. Stupid girl. A man like him probably has an assistant who does this for all the girls he brings home. It doesn’t mean anything.

“You’re staying here now,” he says, his voice rough as his eyes zero in on my naked shoulder. He reaches out and pinches a lock of damp hair between his fingers, releasing a droplet of cool water that soaks into the material covering my left breast. He follows it with his eyes and his tongue darts out to wet his lips, and a tingling of passion erupts between my thighs.

“Help yourself to whatever you want,” he grunts. “Did you find your room okay?”

“Yes, thank you,” I reply breathily. The bedroom is stunning, done up in warm blues and grays, the complete opposite of the rest of the rooms here, and I almost feel guilty for staying in it. I never expected my accommodations to be so nice. The walk-in closet was orgasm-inducing, big enough to house the apartment I shared with my roommate back in Ohio. Another thing I never expected was for my bedroom to be one of only two, making us neighbors. My face heats just thinking about how close we’ll be at night.

Another thought occurs to me. He’d better not think he’s going to have women spending the night while I’m here. This month is going to be challenging enough without having to listen to his sexual escapades echoing through the walls.

“And do you like it?” His words are smooth, rich, sending another tingle of awareness rebounding through my body like the snap of a rubber band as he recalls my attention. Gradually, Levi begins twisting the lock of hair around his finger, and the slight movement sends delicious tickling sensations dancing along my scalp.

Lifting my chin, I look directly into his eyes. They’re a pale blue, like the morning sky, and remind me of tropical islands and sandy beaches. I’ve never seen a pair quite like them, and I’m astonished to find that they still hold the power to turn me into mush. For a moment, I just hold my breath, drinking him in, before finally managing to break through the fog.

“I love it.”

Those eyes of his...they switch back and forth between mine, like he’s searching for something. I can’t tear my eyes away from his. For one long moment suspended in time, we’re the only people in the room. No time has passed. We’re just Levi and Vista again.

It reminds me of the way things used to be, when we hardly knew each other. Before that night happened. Before everything got complicated. Before he broke my heart.

“It’s over, Vista. It was fun, but this was never going to go anywhere.”

“But, Levi—”

“There’s nothing left to say, Vista! It was just sex. Why can’t you just accept it? I have.”

I’ve replayed those words in my head countless times. Enough to drive a person crazy. Was it just sex? Because it felt like so much more than that to me. We had a connection. I gave him everything that night, only to have him walk away, leaving me feeling like the biggest fool.

“Are you sure you’re too tired to have a drink with us? Not even one?” Levi asks, breaking me out of my thoughts.

Glancing over his shoulder, I see the guy who walked in with him keeping the women entertained while they wait for Levi to rejoin them. There’s no way I’m going to be the third wheel. Or fifth. Whatever. Besides, the smart thing to do here would be to keep as much distance between me and Levi as possible. The less time I have to spend with him, the faster this month will go. The faster I’ll be able to get back to my life.

“I’m positive,” I tell him with a bitter edge to my words. Reaching up, I reclaim my hair and toss it back over my shoulder. “You clearly forgot I was going to be here tonight, and I would never dream of intruding on your...date.” Dates? What is the correct terminology for what they’re doing together? Fuck buddies? Orgy? Or could one of those women actually be his girlfriend?

The instant I think it, I throw the thought away. According to everything I’ve read about him, Levi has never been seriously connected to any one woman. He’s a total man whore. So, I’m going to assume they’re fuck buddies.

Funny, that pill isn’t any easier to swallow now as it was when I was still hundreds of miles away.

“That’s not possible,” Levi says, dropping his voice to a bare whisper. The words are spoken so softly I almost miss them. I don’t think he intended for me to hear him, but I have. I freeze, my gaze locked with his, which is why I notice the exact moment he slips back into his usual persona—casual, cocky, unaffected. Raising his voice, he taunts, “But if you’re dead set on being a Debbie Downer, then far be it for me to stand in your way.”

My gut twists. It’s the same feeling I had when he walked away from me that night after telling me that we were never going to happen. He’s baiting me. I know this, and yet I can’t help wondering if it’s how he really thinks of me. But, I quickly remind myself, nothing Levi Black says or does affects me anymore, and I shrug it off. To hell with him. In fact, I should be grateful he’s such an ass. It makes it so much easier to walk away.

Everyone is looking at me now thanks to him, and even if I had wanted to stick around, I certainly don’t now. Levi Black can kiss my lily white ass.

Narrowing my eyes at him, I spin around and march toward the stairs, relieved that he’s unable to follow, but not before Levi gets the last word.

“Sweet dreams...sis.”

That son of a bitch.

3

Vista Marquis is in my home. In my bed. I don’t know how to deal with that right now, which is why I’ve spent the evening getting plastered. If I surround myself with enough distractions, numb all the shit her being here dredges up, then I might actually be able to keep myself from climbing into her bed and fucking her senseless. Assuming I can make it up the stairs, that is.

Damn this cast. Damn the asshole that can’t kick a ball for shit. Damn my father for making me do this. Fracturing my tibia has thrown a wrench into my plans, setting me back months with everything from managers to investors, but it’s also given me a break I hadn’t anticipated.

Damn, Vista’s grown up. She’s always been a knockout, but the years have treated her kind. I honestly didn’t know what to expect to find when she got here, but it certainly wasn’t the bombshell I was presented with.

Since I checked in at the front desk on my way up, I already knew she had arrived. I’d just hoped she’d be in bed by now so I wouldn’t have to deal with another headache. On the off chance she wasn’t, Victor and the groupies we picked up earlier were supposed to provide a buffer, something to keep me occupied. I never expected to walk in and find her sitting on my couch, looking sexy as fuck. Without a bra.

Jesus, I can still picture those perky tits in my head. Those little nipples poking through the thin cotton, begging for attention. Begging for my mouth, my tongue. And that hair. Goddamn. My palms itch just thinking about running them through all that long, honey brown hair.

It’s a distraction I hadn’t planned on and definitely don’t need. I should have one of these broads bent over the arm of my couch right now, instead of offering them another drink. I definitely shouldn’t be thinking about Vista. Or the way she looked up at me with those expressive brown eyes when I twisted a lock of her hair around my finger. She was on fire, practically begging me to touch her, to taste her. At that moment, I would have buried myself between her silky thighs if she’d asked me to. Forcing myself to calm the fuck down and back away had been nearly impossible, until she opened her mouth and broke the spell.