I woke up on Saturday morning with a pounding headache. In the fuzzy parts of my brain, I could hear something jingling. I blinked a few times, trying to adjust my sore eyes to the dimly lit hotel room.
As I sat up, I gasped in horror when I saw a woman in my bed. Her silky red hair splayed out on the pillow like something from a seductive photograph. Then it hit me. Like a herd of stampeding bulls, all my jumbled memories fell through my mind, fragmenting their own picture show of last night’s events.
The bathroom door opened, revealing a stark naked Paul looking mighty fine in all his glory.
He grinned at me. “Morning.”
I groaned and clasped a hand to my head. I met his amused gaze, squinting as his words of where we stood filtered through, driving that painful arrow even further through my heart. Why was he not a relationship guy? Why did he come down here if he wasn’t interested in something more committed?
I pulled the duvet back, stumbling towards the bathroom. “I need a bath.”
I turned the bath taps on before realising I had no shower gel in there with me. Wrapping a towel around me, I walked back out to see Tessa getting herself dressed.
She flashed me a dazzling smile. “Hey. I had a good time, thank you. I think you two should definitely reconsider your ‘fun’ arrangement.”
I frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Well, let’s just say that’s the first ménage a trois I’ve had where the guy makes his singular interest rather clear.”
Heat flushed through me as I realised that, really, the poor woman had ended up enjoying herself more than either of us. But what exactly did that mean?
I faked a smile and nodded, not quite clear-headed enough to make sense of her words just yet. I felt awkward enough as it was anyway.
She ran for the door, making her excuses for having work in less than an hour. As the door slammed shut behind her, an uncomfortable silence fell between Paul and me.
I said nothing as I walked back in the bathroom, shutting the door behind me before slipping under the bliss of the bubbles. My peace lasted for barely two minutes.
“Kyra…”
I groaned hearing Ash banging on the room door.
Several seconds later, I heard him greet Paul. “Hey, Hot Stuff.”
“She’s in the bath.”
Ash’s voice boomed through the bathroom door. “Ky, get out here.”
“What do you want?” I wrapped a towel around me before poking my head around the door. “What?”
Ash smirked back at me, his eyes lighting up at impending gossip. “Did I just see Tessa leaving your room?”
“Shut up.” I slammed the door in his face. “I’m hungover.”
“Holy shit. You did, didn’t you?”
I didn’t dignify him with a response.
Paul coughed, making it obvious it was time for Ash to leave.
“All right, gorgeous, chill out. Tessa is quite a fun girl, isn’t she?”
“I wouldn’t know.”
“Oh, come on, man, we’re all grown-ups.”
“And some things still remain private.”
“Fine.” Ash’s voice changed slightly, his tone lowering as he turned serious. “Let me put it another way. Did you stick your dick in another woman in front of my sister?”
“Ashley!” I yanked the bathroom door open. I glanced at Paul, glad to see he’d pulled his jeans on at least. “Get out!”
“What?” His dark eyes told me he was more than serious at this moment in time and I had no idea why. “I’m just trying to have a normal conversation about sex and Mr. Uptight here is refusing to.”
“Ash, I’m your sister. This is weird enough. Out. Now.”
Ash ignored me, turning his attention back to Paul. “What are you doing with my sister exactly?”
I interrupted before Paul could even open his mouth. “We’re having sex. That’s it. End of.”
“Yeah, you’ve told me your side already.”
Paul shrugged his shoulders. “We’re having fun. It’s nothing serious. I’m not a relationship kind of guy.”
I glowered at Ash at forcing me to hear those words again. “Satisfied?”
Ash turned to me, his serious face lightening in a second. “I am now, yes. So, Tessa?”
“We had fun. We’re all consenting adults and no one has any strings attached. And just for the record, he didn’t actually touch her.”
Ash raised his eyebrows. “Hmmm. Interesting. Except you two do kind of have strings attached. How awkward is this going to be on Monday morning?” He chuckled his way out of the room, shutting the door on his way out.
A degree of silent discomfort fell over us both before I whirled round, heading back to my bath.
“Kyra…”
He said my name in such a soft tone it coated me in shivers. I ignored him, intent on shutting the door between us whilst I buried my head in the sand for a while longer.
“Kyra, we need to talk.”
I turned round, pushing the door in front of me as some sort of guard against him. “About what?”
“You know what.”
I smirked. “If I knew what, then I wouldn’t be asking, would I?”
He folded his arms over his muscled chest. “What was that? Last night? I mean, I’m not complaining, but it’s like someone flipped a switch and boom, off you went and jumped into bed with a woman. Where did that come from?”
I shrugged my shoulders. “I told you I’d always been curious.”
He narrowed his eyes and took a few steps towards the bathroom.
“Fine. You said we’re just having fun because you don’t do relationships so I figured I had nothing to lose. Why not?”
“I see.” He rubbed his chin between his thumb and forefinger, his face harbouring a thoughtful look. “So despite the fact I may change my mind at some point, you decided to put the final nail in the coffin by involving another person in our sexual relations?”
My heart raced to new heights as dread and regret tumbled through my body. Had he just said I’d stopped any chance of us getting together? I looked down at the floor, wishing I could curl up into a ball and rewind time.
My stubborn side chose its moment to show itself. “Yes. I’m not waiting for anyone.” I closed the door to finalise the conversation before reopening it again. “Besides, most guys would love what happened in here last night, and you’re complaining? Pffft.”
He raised his eyebrows and his lips twitched into something of a smile. “I understand you don’t want to wait but expecting me to declare my commitment to you after a week is a little high expectation, don’t you think?”
“I have high expectations and patience isn’t my strong point.”
“Clearly.”
I scowled at him. “Why the hell did you come down here anyway?”
He ran a hand through his hair and looked away. “I wanted to see you.”
“And you couldn’t have waited until Monday?”
He sat back on the bed, his elbows on his knees as he cradled his head in his hands. “I thought it would be a nice surprise.”
“Surprises are usually a relationship type of thing, Paul. You can’t take me out for dinner, ask to see me in the evenings, follow me three hours down the road, and then act shocked when I think this is going somewhere.”
He remained silent for a few seconds before his eyes met mine, somewhat empty. “When you put it like that, I’m sorry. I guess I have given you false hope. I shouldn’t have come here.”
“Wow. You really are a piece of work. Just go, please.”
I slammed the door in his face before he could respond. I clicked the lock as loudly as I could to make a point.
I slid back inside my now lukewarm bath, cursing under my breath at all the interruptions I had at just wanting a damn soak in some hot water.
A gentle knock tapped at the door. “Kyra…”
“I’m not listening.”
A chuckle floated through the door, my anger subsiding. What the hell was this guy doing to me?
“I’m not going home until you talk to me.”
I snorted. “Enjoy your stay, then.”
“Stop being awkward, Kyra.”
“Fine. When you stop being a confusing asshole.”
A loud sigh came from the other side. “Friends with benefits, Kyra. That’s the best I can offer you.”
I smirked as I sank under the bubbles. “Fine. Whatever.”