The Pretend Boyfriend novel Chapter 21

That's why he never gets to know anyone before he fucks them. Too much fallout. Look at what happened to his mother and father. Relationships and marriages are the pits.

She leaps out of bed, shrieking "Eww, eww, eww, eww." He bets she wouldn't be saying that if it was all inside her instead.

She tears back the curtains. Bright light streams into the room. Her hair is disheveled and her cheeks wear a high color. So she's majorly embarrassed, but she manages to look good anyway.

"Oh, stuff it," she declares. "We're going to have to go anyway. I hope you're happy, because the maid who's going to clean up all this mess won't be."

"So I'll leave two hundred dollars by the lampstand as a tip." He gets up. "I'm going to need a shower, sweetheart. Last night was incredible."

"Fuck you."

"You're gonna wish you had when you say goodbye."

It's automatic, this snark of his.

He can feel her eyes on his back and buttocks as he vanishes into the shower, grinning. He hits the hot water, and his grin dissipates when he realizes that he would never see her again after this.

It's twelve noon when they finally gather at the restaurant downstairs. Caleb and Cassie are extremely hung over and looking sheepish, for some reason. When the boys take their seats and peruse their menus, Sam pulls Cassie to the powder room.

Brian says in a loud voice, "Going in there for a girl chat? Don't forget to tell your best friend how good I was last night."

Several diners at the other tables turn. Flushing, Sam walks Cassie away quickly.

"Did you?" Cassie's eyes are accusing.

"No! How could you even think that?" Righteous indignation pours out of Sam's every syllable. "I'll be glad to go home and never have to see his mug again."

"Ah well, to each her own," Cassie murmurs.

Sam is nonplussed as she follows her friend into the female restroom. Then a light bulb goes off in her head.

She whirls to face her friend. "Oh my God, don't tell me ... you slept with him."

Cassie has the good grace to blush. "We were both drunk."

"But you hardly know each other!"

"As if that has ever stopped me."

Sam's mind is tumbling with possibilities - all exciting. "So are you going to see each other again?"

"I don't know ... he's kind of sweet, don't you think?" Cassie takes out her lipstick from her purse and starts to apply it.

"Hell, yeah! A lot nicer than Brian."

Cassie giggles. "He's terrific in bed. Let's say that for a short-ish guy - "

"He's not that short."

" - I said 'ish'. But he's certainly not short where it matters."

Both of them shriek with laughter. A middle-aged lady comes out of the stall to wash her hands. She darts them a murderous glare.

"Hey, free country, lady," Cassie barks.

The woman hurriedly scoots out of the restroom.

"You shouldn't say that about my sister."

"But she is. Maybe you should get Brian to teach her a lesson."

Sam sighs. "I can't even get Brian to roll over and play dead, let alone fetch."

After lunch, they pack up to check out. Brian lugs both Sam's suitcase and his overnight bag down to the reception, and realizes he has forgotten his phone.

"Be right back. Don't miss me too much," he tells Sam.

"You wish."

He takes the elevator up and re-enters their old guestroom. His cellphone is on the bedside table where he left it. He seizes it and slips it into his pocket.

He turns to go to the door but stops short.

"Fancy meeting you here," says Lori at the doorway. She's wearing a halter top with a copious amount of cleavage over tight, tight jeans.

"The sibling object of your affection is downstairs, in case you're asking."

"I know." She slinks into the room. "But it's you I wanted to see."

Brian's antenna pricks.

"Oh? Because you think you'll miss my spectacular dancing?"

"You got it." She's standing very close to him. She puts her hands on his shoulders. "I've been thinking about you last night. All night."