Overall, he seems like the total package. An attentive, handsome guy who’s seen me at my most graceless and still thinks I’m the best thing since sliced bread. He can even guess my favorite drinks, for Christ’s sake. That’s good enough for me. More than enough. Isn’t it?

Focus on the pros, Emery . . . they far outweigh the cons. I let a sultry smile curve my lips. Remember what you came here for. Why rock the boat when you can rock the bed?

This time, Hayden is the one to pull back before things get too R-rated for public display. “I talked to the hotel concierge,” he says casually, as if he weren’t hiding a huge boner under the table. “He recommended some fun touristy things to do in Omaha. It’s kind of a short list, but there’s an art museum, a botanical garden, a community theater. They’re performing Annie at seven tonight . . . an off-Broadway rendition.” He chuckles. “Way the hell off.”

I cover his hand with mine. “Let’s just go back to the room,” I say, looking deep into his gorgeous blue eyes.

He blinks in surprise. From the subtle breath he draws in, I can tell he knows exactly what I want and how badly I want it. And he’s dying to give it to me. “What about dinner?” he asks, offering me one last chance to back out and pretend none of this ever happened.

No fucking way, babe. You’re mine tonight. “We can order room service,” I reply. My thumb rubs the back of his hand in slow circles. “After.”

His grin turns absolutely devilish. That’s all the confirmation I need.

Abandoning our drinks in their sweat rings on the table, we pay our bar tab and make a break for it. We hurry toward the elevator like a pair of teenagers who finally have the house to themselves.

My stomach jitters with eager butterflies. There are no nosy colleagues or scandalized old ladies to slow us down this time. No cocktail buzz to guilt Hayden into leaving me alone again. In fact, I can’t think when I last felt more sober; I’m so awake, so alive, my skin is sparking with desire. I almost can’t stand the anticipation as the elevator slowly dings its way up to our floor. I want his hands on me and his cock inside me right this second.

With his longer stride, Hayden reaches our room door first. He opens it for me with a flourish and a hungry gleam in his eye. “Ladies first.”

He squeezes my ass as I walk through, and I squeak with surprise, giggling. I’m acting like a giddy schoolgirl and I couldn’t care less.

But when the heavy door clicks shut behind us, I can’t help but pause. As soaking wet as my panties are, as much as every part of me wants Hayden . . . sex is such a big step. Who could charge over a cliff like this without even hesitating at the edge? As much as I’ve tried to convince myself that sleeping together is no big deal, it’s going to have ripple effects. No way around that.

When I turn to look at him, Hayden’s expression has softened, concern shining through his desire. I realize that my apprehension is contagious. He knows as well as I do that this is it. We’re about to have sex—and our friendship will never be quite the same again. Even if that change is for the better, it’ll still take some getting used to. Is Hayden willing to work through the awkward stage that’s coming? I’m not even sure if I’m ready for it.

But then again, is anyone ever completely ready for anything new? Life happens at its own pace. I can’t make this leap smaller or less intimidating by worrying about it. Either I back away and spend the rest of my life wondering what could have been . . . or I take the plunge.

Right now.

Chapter Fifteen

Hayden

Emery stands in the center of our hotel room, her wide blue eyes locked on mine, looking apprehensive. After dirty-texting all day, I’ve been wound up and horny, so when she sauntered into the hotel bar, dressed in a black pencil skirt and white button-down top, looking ever so prim and proper, I wanted to strip her down and fuck her senseless. Now . . . I’m not so sure.

“Hey, come here,” I say, holding out my hand. She crosses the room toward me, placing her shaky palm in mine. “We don’t have to do this. We don’t have to do anything you’re not ready for.” All the confidence and bravado she had downstairs has faded away.

“Sorry, it’s just nerves.”

“It’s okay, Emery.” My tone is soft and reassuring, but inside my hormones are raging and my body is on fire. “It was probably a stupid idea.”

She chews on her lower lip, her eyes fixed on mine. She’s lost in thought—she’s always thinking, but for just once, I wish she wouldn’t. “No. I’m sorry, I’m a little nervous. It’s just that I haven’t done this in a while. But I want to.”

Hearing her say those words, my pulse riots. “I’ll go slow. Just tell me if you want me to stop.”

She gives me a tight nod, and her shoulders relax.

“Come here.” I tug her to the bed and we sit down on the edge of it. I’ve never put this much thought into sex or seduction before, but I know I need to calm her down and get her ready, or this night’s going to be over before it even starts.

“What are you doing?” she asks, watching me curiously.

“We could talk first,” I suggest. I haven’t even asked her about her day.

She chuckles. “Somehow I don’t think that will help.”

“Right.” I run my hand along the back of my neck. “Elephant in the room and all that.”

She nods.

“I have an idea,” I say, rising from the bed. “Unbutton your top. I’ll be right back.”

Curiosity flashes in her eyes, but her fingers go to work on the buttons as I walk into the bathroom and grab a bottle of the hotel-supplied body lotion. I dump some into my palms and rub my hands together to warm it.

“A massage,” I say. “To relax you.”

Emery smiles and pulls her white shirt from her shoulders, tossing it on the floor. With the scent of mint and lavender hanging in the air around us, she lies down on the bed on her belly, her head to the side so her eyes are still on mine.

“Thanks for this, Hayden,” she says when my hands make contact with her skin.

I knead her stiff shoulders, pressing my thumbs between her shoulder blades to work out the knots I find. “Not a problem.”

I lose myself in the process, touching her shapely shoulders that I’ve admired for all these weeks. Pushing my fingers in along her spine until she’s nice and relaxed. She murmurs and lets out little grunts of satisfaction that are sexy as hell. I unclasp her bra and let the straps fall to the sides so I can continue rubbing her without the restrictive material in the way. Getting lost in my movements and her little groans, I realize I’m straddling her, my cock nestled against her ass cheeks, while my hips seem to be rocking against her on their own.

“Let me up,” she says, her tone suddenly stern.

Shit. I rise up onto my knees, and Emery lifts up too. I expect her to cover her chest with her hands, or to yell at me for being so presumptuous when I said it was only a massage.

But instead, she turns around on the bed so she’s facing me. Her chest is heaving wildly with heavy breaths and her skin is flushed. I can’t resist letting my eyes wander from hers. Beautiful. Her breasts are full and perky, with soft pink nipples that have puckered in the cool air-conditioning.

She’s looking at me hungrily, her eyes jumping between mine to where my cock is straining against my pants. In a heartbeat, everything has changed between us.

“Are you sure you’re ready for this?” I ask.

She nods, biting her lip.

“Tell me.”

“I want it,” she whispers, inching her way closer to where I’m kneeling on the bed. As she brings her hands to my belt, her eyes stay locked on mine. “It’s all I thought about all day.”