No Vacancy Page 4

  “I’m the luckiest bastard in the world tonight,” he whispered before he climbed on top of me, snaking his arm around my waist and lifting me off the bed.

  “Ride me.”

  I squinted, my brain cells still recuperating from the mind melting climax I had not five minutes ago. “What?”

  He flipped us over, so I was on top. “Ride me. I want to watch you come when I’m deep inside you.”

  My legs quivered as I lifted a thigh to straddle him, the sudden intimacy of watching him watch me stealing my breath. He cupped my cheek before skimming his thumb across my bottom lip like a lover would—not a stranger. This had morphed from amazing sex into something…else. Something I couldn’t pinpoint and definitely something that didn’t make a bit of sense with a man I’d just met. Strangely enough, in that moment, it was as if I’d never known anyone better.

  I sank down on him, taking him in inch by glorious inch. Once he was fully seated inside me, I started to move. Up and down then in little circles until Joe groaned and sat up, his lips meeting mine in a ravenous kiss while he clutched my hips, meeting every thrust harder than the one before.

  “That’s it. Take all of me,” he breathed, his body quivering just like mine was. “You’re perfection, baby.” He clutched the back of my neck as we moved faster in a perfect rhythm. “Fucking perfection. So good. You feel so good,” he grunted. “Give me what’s mine, Caterina. Come again for me, baby.”

  A second build-up started and burst at his request, this release coming faster and sharper as I sank my nails into Joe’s back, whimpering into his mouth until the tremors finally faded. He stiffened under me, our mouths fused together in a kiss still desperate but somehow sweet as it slowed.

  “That was…” His head fell against my chest as I raked my hand through his sweaty hair.

  “Yes, it was,” I agreed and pecked his lips when he lifted his head.

  “Caterina, I need to—” He jerked his chin toward the bathroom.

  “Oh, right. Sure.” I climbed off of him without meeting his eyes.

  “Hey.” He cocked his head to the side with a laugh. “I just need to get rid of the condom. I’m not bolting. Not unless you want me to.”

  My cheeks heated as I shook my head. “No. I don’t want you to,” I admitted.

  “Good.” He kissed my forehead. “Stay right there.”

  I crawled under the covers, blissfully spent and refreshed at the same time, but wondering how I’d feel about it all when what I’d done sank in. What we’d done. Still, in this moment, it all seemed worth it.

  He came over to the bed, naked except for his boxers, and sat on the edge. “Talk to me. What are you thinking?”

  I rolled over and shrugged. “That I’m sore in places I didn’t think you could be sore.” I stretched my arms over my head. “It’s actually nice.”

  He laughed and brushed the matted hair off of my forehead. “Nice to know I made a good impression.” My heavy eyes fluttered shut as he caressed my furrowed brow with the tip of his finger.

  “You probably didn’t plan on staying, and I don’t expect you to.” He ran his thumb back and forth over my cheekbone, and I couldn’t help leaning into his touch. Something about this man was soothing yet exhilarating. Joe was a high I already couldn’t stop chasing.

  “Doesn’t it get exhausting assuming all the time?” He rested his forehead against mine. “I didn’t plan on this, no, but that doesn’t mean I want to go.”

  “This is crazy, don’t you think?”

  “This is the good kind of chaos, Caterina.” His sweet smile melted me into a puddle.

  “Cat,” I said on a yawn. “Everyone calls me Cat.”

  Joe climbed under the sheets beside me and pulled me into his side. “Maybe I don’t want to be like everyone else to you.”

  5

  Caterina

  My eyes adjusted to blurry new surroundings as they fluttered open, landing on the sailboat painting on the wall. At least it looked like the shape of a sailboat. I’d managed to pluck the contacts out of my eyes before I drifted off to sleep, so I couldn’t say for sure. As I came to my hazy senses, the events of the past twenty-four hours barreled over me in a heavy rush. When I woke up yesterday morning, I’d been in my apartment with my now ex-boyfriend on what I thought was a regular Thursday. It took a split second to recall running like a madwoman from both, and a muffled moan beside me to remind me of something else.

  I lifted Joe’s hand from where it was draped around my waist and slipped out of his hold, grabbing my glasses and a T-shirt out of my suitcase at the foot of the bed. The more alert I became, the more the panic set in.

  As morning light peeked through the cracks in the blinds, my shaky breathing filled the silence while Joe stirred under the sheets.

  I took slow, deep breaths in an attempt to quell the twisting in my gut. People did this kind of thing every day. Hell, my two best friends did it all through college. My night with Joe was one of those “things” but I wasn’t one of those “people.” I never had sex with anyone I didn’t know for at least a couple of months. Yet, I pulled Joe inside, tore off his clothes, and rode him until we both saw stars without a second thought. Now, a delayed second thought echoed in my brain, and I wished I could jump right out of my skin.

  Despite the worry of not knowing how to explain what happened to myself, much less anyone else, I couldn’t deny how amazing last night was. More than amazing, our night together was everything I didn’t know I needed. I hoped I had a few minutes until Joe woke up to figure out what the hell to say.

  My head fell back on a groan when raindrops pelted the outside glass of my window. Great, I was stuck. The Wi-Fi in my hotel room wouldn’t be enough to get any work done, and I didn’t know if I could show my face at The Beach Pub today. Driving in the rain to search for a place to work was the exact opposite of a relaxing getaway to forget my troubles.

  I turned toward where Joe still slept in my motel bed, an unexpected smile creeping across my lips. His hair was ruffled into sandy brown tufts, and my fingers itched to brush it off his forehead. He looked young and a bit innocent, nothing like a man who did and said all those deliciously dirty things, last night.

  Of course, I didn’t know his age or really anything about him. But I knew his lips, his tongue, how right before our kiss would ignite, he’d graze his teeth along my bottom lip. Joe had settled between my legs all night long as if we’d been doing this dance for years, not hours. He was a sweet man with amazing hands and a magical mouth. If only I didn’t live three hours away, but I did. There was no other option than to think of what happened last night as a one-time thing.

  I hated the light of day already.

  “You hate the rain that much?” A deep timbre behind me made me jump.

  “When I’m supposed to be on a beach vacation? Yes. I hate it that much.”

  Joe sat up on the bed, resting his elbows on his thighs with a sleepy grin. I awaited some kind of a reaction I couldn’t pinpoint. I’d been surprised he’d wanted to stay last night, and I’d been too high on orgasms to consider why that may or may not have been a good idea.

  After realizing how short my T-shirt was, I settled back into bed with the blanket up to my neck, as if we hadn’t been naked and tangled up in the scratchy hotel sheets for hours. I glanced at the glowing red numbers on the alarm clock resting on the nightstand.

  “How could it be six o’clock?” We dozed off after having sex, and then I woke to something poking at my back. Joe muttered a sleepy apology and backed away until I rolled on top of him; the need for him still fresh and raw, and my fuzzy brain still not registering consequences. I’d passed out again shortly after round two, so maybe I’d gotten a full half hour or so of sleep.

  Why was it so easy between us? He was able, I was willing, and, while the flashbacks of all we did caused my cheeks to burn, they were exhilarating. I was a lover of lists, of clear cause and effect, and everything in its place. No matter what I tried to d
o, I couldn’t figure out where to compartmentalize last night.

  “Yeah, I’m an hour late.”

  He rose from the bed, still gloriously naked, and scooped his pants and boxers off the floor. Whereas I devoured the sight of him last night, my eyes darted around the room as I tried in vain to tear my gaze away. His biceps flexed when he lifted his shirt over his head, and his abs clenched right before they were hidden by the cotton. The thought of tracing each ridge and muscle with my tongue as I’d done only hours ago, popped into my head.

  “We don’t open until eleven, but I like to get there early to make sure it’s all set up the way I want it. I’m a little bit of a control freak.”

  “Sorry,” I breathed when I found my voice again. “I didn’t mean to—”

  “You didn’t force me to come in or to stay. My apartment is right above the restaurant. I’ll take a quick shower and change before I head in. Apologies are unnecessary.”

  He motioned to where I cocooned myself in the blanket before he pulled up his jeans.

  “Just like covering up.”

  I returned his cheeky grin with a glare.

  “Honestly, I don’t know what to say. What do we do here?”

  “What do we do?” His brows pinched as he slipped his feet into his sneakers. “I know what we did here.” He cracked a sexy smile before settling into the small chair beside the bed. “But I’m not sure what you mean.”

  “I just got out of a long relationship. I need recovery time, and although we…” I rubbed my eyelids, hoping that would somehow make my words coherent. “Like I said, I’ve never done this before, so I’m unsure of how you … part ways, I guess? What do you usually do?”

  “What do I usually do?” He stilled before resting his elbows on his knees. “This may shock you, but I don’t do this very often or at least not as often as you might think. Tourists can be a slippery slope, so I usually don’t get involved. I work seven days a week and as many nights, so this,” he motioned back and forth between us with his finger, “is not my norm. At least, it hasn’t been for a long time.”

  “I’m a tourist. What made you get involved with me?” I blanched at insinuating we were involved past last night. For a woman my age, my experience in casual sex was less than nil, and I was making that all too clear. “I mean, not that you’re involved with me now.” I groaned, my face falling into my hands. “How about you just go to work, and we forget all about this? Thank you for everything.”

  Thank you? Did I really just thank Joe for having sex with me? Like, “thanks for the latte” or “thanks for filling up my gas tank.”

  The mattress dipped in front of me, but I wouldn’t uncover my eyes.

  “Because Caterina.” He peeled my fingers away from my face and yanked me closer. My full name, a name I always hated, falling from his lips, made goose bumps prickle on my skin.

  “Because I wanted to. In fact, I haven’t wanted to do anything that much in a very long time. Whatever came over us last night to get us…here, was fucking amazing.”

  “Yeah.” I nodded, a smile pulling at my lips despite my rising panic. “Pretty fucking amazing.”

  His hand cupped the nape of my neck, melting me into a puddle onto the mattress.

  “Get some sleep, then come see me. I’ll make you breakfast.”

  “Joe, you don’t have to do that. I don’t want to impose, or have you feel obligated.”

  “It’s not obligation if I want to. Same as last night. You know, it’s not a forgone conclusion we part ways and never see each other again, especially considering how small this town is. I can scramble an egg for you without it being some kind of long-term commitment.”

  A laugh bubbled up from my chest, both shocking me and relaxing me.

  “Sure, I need a place to work. That would be a huge help, thank you.”

  Joe’s lips tipped up into a smirk. “I’d like to see you again, and I’d like to think you want me for more than just my Wi-Fi.” His brows shot up.

  I may have run from my problems last night, but the distance hadn’t made them disappear. But it was only breakfast, just like last night was only sex.

  Sure it was.

  “Okay.” I nodded. “You have a deal.”

  His sleepy smile grew as he made his way to the door. “Get some sleep, beautiful. Keep the glasses on when you come by.”

  I crinkled my nose. “Why?”

  “Because you’re sexy as hell in glasses.” His eyes traveled up and down my body, leaving more tingles in their path before he unlocked the door and closed it behind him.

  Settling back into bed, I buried my head into the pillow, inhaling the spicy cologne, salty sweat, and blinding temptation that was all Joe. He’d said he didn’t want to be like everyone else to me, and he already wasn’t.

  I’d lived a glorious fantasy for a night, but it was time to go back to reality.

  Right after breakfast.

  6

  Joe

  A hot shower and change of clothes had done nothing to zap me out of the haze I was in. I’d been known to put in late nights, but I usually afforded myself more than twenty minutes of sleep in order to function. Last night’s events came back to me with every yawn, and I had to hide my smile each time.

  “All right, what’s with you today?” Dominic, my oldest friend and assistant manager, asked as he came up next to me. He was supposed to close last night but asked to switch at the last minute. I’d come into the pub this morning wanting to thank him, but kept my mouth shut.

  “I’m tired. I worked last night like you were supposed to.” I tried to glare at him before I cleared one of the tables, but even that was too strenuous for my weary eyes. Every move I made was as if I were in slow motion, and, for the first time, I considered napping on the couch in my office later in the afternoon.

  “When I left, it was dead, I figured you’d close up early. Did you finally get laid? Here? Maybe I should check the cameras.” He lifted an annoying brow before I threw a damp towel at his head.

  “Why are you so damn nosy?” Jordan, one of my waitresses, asked from behind the bar. “What the boss does after we leave isn’t our business.” She nodded at me in some kind of solidarity.

  “I see the suck-up wind shifted early.” Dominic snickered, ignoring Jordan’s icy glower before heading to the front of the restaurant.

  “God, he’s a pain in the ass, isn’t he? Why did you hire him again?”

  “True,” I agreed. “But as annoying of a bastard that he is, I trust him more than anyone. You should’ve seen him in high school. He still gives everyone the same headache.”

  Dominic followed me here from Queens after I’d bought the building, applauding me for getting the hell out of the city and asking how he could help. He’d been looking for a new start after his mother passed away, although he’d never admitted it. I’d been more than happy to accept his help and have a friend close by I could depend on. It had taken a long time to get this place into shape, but without him, it would’ve taken a hell of a lot longer.

  But to Jordan’s point, he was a relentless ball-breaker who always needed to know everything, especially when it came to me and my life, or lack thereof, outside of The Beach Pub.

  “So, did you?” Jordan’s eyes lit up as she adjusted the apron on her waist. She was a college junior who’d worked for me since I opened the place two years ago. Her petite and curvy frame earned her loads of tips during our busy season. Jordan was a nice girl, even if she lacked a filter.

  “Mr. Mullins looks like he wants more coffee.” I motioned to the small cluster of occupied tables in the front. I used to freak out whenever we got slow but knew this weekend we would be so busy we wouldn’t have time to stop or breathe. I learned to look forward to the short bursts of inactivity, as long as they stayed short.

  I had a business to take care of and a loan to pay back. My father was going to find out about Owen’s silent partnership sooner or later, and I dreaded that conversation. We had differe
nt opinions on what constituted an acceptable livelihood. He loved putting on a suit and tie every day and riding the subway an hour back and forth to work, and that was my idea of the seventh circle of hell.

  I loved being an owner and making my own rules, but the added responsibility to this place and the ones who worked for me didn’t allow me much free time. The Beach Pub was my first and only priority. I’d been so focused on making this place a success for what had felt like so long, I couldn’t remember the last time anyone caught my eye to the point of knocking me on my ass.

  Until last night.

  My eyes had fallen on a beautiful woman, looking lost, tired, and so damn gorgeous, I couldn’t get to her fast enough. Then, I planted myself at her table and wouldn’t let her leave. I could’ve talked to Caterina all night, although not talking to Caterina for the rest of the night was well worth stumbling around my place of business all morning like a zombie.

  My mind kept coming back to last night, well early this morning. Her dark hair sprawled out on her pillow as she writhed beneath me. The strangest thing about our night together was that it didn’t seem like a one-time thing to me, and Caterina was definitely not a one-time woman. At least, I didn’t want her to be.

  The two busybodies who worked for me hadn’t seemed to notice me glancing at the door since I’d come in, checking to see if she’d taken me up on my offer to make her breakfast.

  Sure, I noticed women all the time, but they were a fun, very occasional pastime. I’d never laid eyes on a woman and dropped whatever I was doing just for the chance to talk to her. Something about us just clicked. The easy way I’d confessed things I’d never told a soul before made zero sense. I craved more of her and couldn’t concentrate on anything else.

  Could you really connect to someone you’d only just met? Or was that just a side effect of the unprecedented, mind-blowing sex we’d had? I glanced at the time on my watch—almost noon. I’d been obsessing about this woman for half the day and waiting for her not to show up.