No Vacancy Read online

  She shook her head. “You’ve only known me for a day.”

  “I know enough.”

  Her eyes shot to mine, her shoulders slumping before breaking our connection. “I loved being with you last night, Joe. I’m sorry my shitty baggage ruins everything.”

  “Nothing is ruined. I loved it, too. Stop acting like it was a hardship on my part. I don’t regret a single second of being with you.”

  Her hands fell to her thighs, her breaths coming quick as her head drooped.

  “I’m…dizzy. And woozy.”

  My lips curved up as I smoothed the hair off her forehead. This girl was beautiful, and, even in this depleted condition, took my damn breath away.

  “You have about seven different types of liquor in your system, and I’ll take a wild guess that you didn’t eat much today since I made you breakfast.” I lifted a brow.

  She shrugged before replying with a reluctant nod, fixing her eyes on the last drops at the bottom of the water bottle she swirled in her hand. “Can I lay down, Joe?”

  “Sure.” I squeezed her shoulder. “Come with me.”

  The only women I’d ever had in my apartment were my mother and sister. I’d told Caterina the truth about not having many one-nighters, even before my business drained all the fun from my life. But I’d made it a point to never bring one back here, even just for a stop. I liked the ease of controlling how and when I wanted to leave. But for reasons I couldn’t explain, I wanted Caterina here. Maybe it was knowing once she sobered up, she wouldn’t be back. And I wanted to steal as much time with her as I could before my next brush-off. Did that make me romantic or pathetic?

  I grabbed her hand and pulled her to standing, leading her to my bedroom at the end of the hall. My apartment was small but had a decent-sized kitchen and living room—not that I entertained much. Friends came to the pub rather than my apartment when we did hang out together, which I realized as I settled Caterina onto my bed, hadn’t happened in a long time. In the midst of running from her own life, Caterina made me see what was missing in mine.

  “Stay with me, Joe.” She took hold of my arm as I tried to pull my hand away.

  Straightening, and purposely not answering her, I gently slipped from her hold and headed back to my kitchen to fish another bottle of water from the fridge.

  Even if sex didn’t happen, getting that close to her now wouldn’t be right, no matter how fucking good her body would feel against mine. Whether or not she was aware of it, the mixed signals she was sending me messed with my head.

  Returning, and sitting on the very edge of the bed next to her, I unscrewed the bottle cap and tipped the bottle to her lips, her hand draping over mine as she gulped. She had a gorgeous neck. Last night, the soft slope beckoned my lips to trail down her collarbone to that tiny patch of skin that had pulled a sexy-as-hell moan out of her when I’d traced it with my tongue. Caterina stirred an immediate need in me, and I needed to remove myself from the temptation.

  “See?” She hiccuped a sad laugh. “You don’t want to be near me, either.”

  Her pleading chocolate eyes could become my downfall if I wasn’t careful. “The exact opposite, but you’re not in a condition to tell me what you want.”

  “You said that last night, and I knew exactly what I wanted. Please.” She placed my arm around her waist. My hand rested on the small of her back, and I was somehow unable to refuse her, for anything.

  “For a little while.” I crawled in behind her and snaked my arm around her torso. My chin dipped into the crook of her shoulder, but I wouldn’t pull her too close. I fought to keep control of my big head, but my little one didn’t give a shit what was right or wrong. The proximity of her perfect ass and knowledge of how it had felt under my fingertips and lips was enough to make me hard as a rock.

  “You aren’t cold,” I whispered into her ear. “Any man would be out of his mind to not want to get close to you.”

  She swiveled her head to brush my lips, muttering “thank you” before falling asleep. I pressed a kiss to her temple and began to pull away before she cinched her arm around my stomach. For a slim woman, she had a strong hold. Not wanting to wake her or upset her again, I settled onto the mattress and felt my eyes grow heavy. I was already dreading another morning we’d have to part ways and forget anything happened.

  When she rolled over and cuddled her head into my chest, I realized I couldn’t do that. I thought of Dominic’s comment about love at first sight. I’d never believed in any of that, but no woman had ever had this much of a hold on me, and definitely not this fast. It made absolutely no sense, but there was no denying there was something between us.

  Maybe she could ignore it in the morning, but I couldn’t.

  10

  Caterina

  “Good morning.” A whisper in my ear jolted me awake.

  Perhaps jolted was the wrong word, as my limbs felt twenty pounds heavier when I attempted to roll over. I sank my head into the pillow, noting how soft and smooth the fabric was against my cheek. These weren’t the scratchy hotel sheets I’d slept in the night before. My eyes flew open as I sat up, panic filtering through me as I realized I had no clue where I was.

  “Hey, relax.” Joe squeezed my shoulder. I winced before turning toward his voice, blinking a few times before he came into focus. How did he look that damn good first thing in the morning? I cringed, pretty sure I looked as awful as I felt.

  “You’re in my apartment. You had a little too much alcohol, and I brought you back here to give you some water, but you wanted to lay down, and we both fell asleep. That was it, I promise.”

  I nodded and raked a hand through my tangled hair.

  “Even though this is only our third day of knowing each other, you don’t have to explain. I know you wouldn’t do anything while I was like that. I haven’t exactly showed you my best self since we met, have I?”

  “That’s not true. But, if you don’t mind me asking, did something happen yesterday? You don’t strike me as someone who drinks that much very often.”

  I cocked my head from side to side, then cringed from moving too fast.

  “The sangrias were partly because I was thirsty, partly because I was a little upset. I had an argument with my ex, and it’s been playing in my head for most of the yesterday.”

  “You walked in on him cheating. Why isn’t he begging for your forgiveness instead of picking a fight with you?”

  “That’s a great question.” I rubbed at my eyes, my dried contacts almost gluing them shut. “I neglected him because I was so sucked into work. It’s all my fault he had to look elsewhere.”

  “If, for argument’s sake, he felt neglected or whatever, he should have told you instead of bringing someone else home. Don’t give that jerkoff, or the bullshit he told you, a second thought.”

  I burst out laughing at Joe’s clenched jaw. “I should have said something, too. We’d been nothing but distant roommates to each other lately, but I’d written it off as a rut.” I pushed off the bed, stumbling back from the headrush. “I guess I ignored a lot because I didn’t want to deal with the inconvenience of parting ways. Now, of course, it’s a mess. But I can move on. Maybe he is right; I am cold.”

  I forced my gaze back to Joe’s. I was ashamed, embarrassed, and so sick of showing nothing but the most unglued parts of me to this man from the second I met him. “I should feel a little sad about ending things, shouldn’t I? I’m hurt about the way he did it, and I’m mad, and, like you said, guilty. But saying goodbye to my boyfriend of two years, who I lived with?” I shrugged and lifted my hands up. “As my baby cousin says, I got nothin’.”

  “Getting cheated on, in your own apartment, was not your fault. From what you’ve told me about this guy, he’s the cold one, not you.” Joe edged closer to where I sat on his bed. “And I happen to have firsthand experience that you’re the complete opposite of cold.” A hot shiver swarmed over my skin as he searched my gaze.

  “Thank you, Joe.” I picked up
his hand and squeezed. “You’re a pretty great guy.”

  “Thank you.” I pulled my hand back, but he wouldn’t let go. “I think you’re pretty great, too. Even though I feel another brush-off coming on.”

  I grimaced and shook my head. “It’s not that I’m brushing you off, it’s just, well, right now…” I stilled when he tightened his grip on my hand. His thumb glided over my wrist, leaving tingles along its path.

  “Maybe the timing is bad, and the logistics are a little messed up, but I’m not the only one feeling this, am I?”

  “No…you’re not,” I stammered. “But—” a lump in the back of my throat caught me by surprise. “I’m not in a good place right now. I’d say I’d made that abundantly clear.” I grabbed Joe’s other hand, dreading lifting my head to look him in the eye. “You’re sexy and kind and I’m sure there are a ton of women waiting who are more deserving of your time.”

  “You deserve my time, Caterina.” His mouth flattened to a hard line. “I’d love to give you more of it, but I get it. Just promise me you’ll forget this asshole and what he said.”

  “That’s why I’m here.” I grinned and kissed his cheek, enjoying the feel of his stubble against my lips a little too much, remembering the delicious scratch it left on the inside of my thighs. No, he was definitely not the only one feeling this. How amazing would it be to have a real chance with Joe? The only thing we could have was a fling with an expiration date, and that was unfair to both of us.

  “I’ll walk you back to the Anchor.” He patted my thigh and stood.

  “You don’t have to do that, Joe. It’s daylight, and it’s close.”

  “I don’t have to, but maybe I want to.” He quirked an eyebrow and made his way out of the bedroom, leaving me with a headache and sour gut. I knew I’d done the right thing, but why did it feel so awful?

  11

  Joe

  I woke up on Sunday morning on the wrong side of the bed, agitated for a reason I didn’t want to pinpoint, so I tried my hardest to ignore it. Whatever I’d had with Caterina, if it was actually anything, was over. Yet, I couldn’t stop thinking about her and rewound the past few days over and over in my head, searching for a reason for my insane, but unshakable fixation on a woman I hardly knew. It was driving me batshit crazy as I tried to stay as busy as possible behind the bar.

  “If it isn’t my little bro.”

  I turned toward a familiar Southern twang. My brother-in-law strolled through the door, scanning the area around the bar before mimicking a whistle. “Nice to see my investment doing well!” He strode up to me and slapped my back. “You’re doing well, Joseph.”

  “Thanks, Owen.” I smiled before he scooped me into a hug. Owen had always had a booming presence that couldn’t be ignored, whether he tried to be noticed or not. Under all that swagger, he was full of heart.

  “Financials look great, too, even though you don’t have to send them. I believe I told you that.” He frowned and slid onto a seat at the bar.

  “You won’t let me pay you back. If you really want to be a silent partner, then yes, you need to look. I’d appreciate you not sharing with my sister, but—”

  “Joe, come on now.” He frowned and shoved my shoulder. “Your father and your sister are nothing but proud of you. They like the financial side of life. It’s not for everyone. Fuck knows it’s not for me.” His mouth twisted in disgust. “And, I hate to break it to you, but judging by the way you handle the books, your dad’s numbers gene didn’t miss you completely.”

  “The great OT is here!” Dominic grinned before marching up to where Owen sat and extended his hand. “Good to see you.”

  Owen rolled his eyes before he took it. “Dom, like I always tell you, I haven’t been OT for a very long time. Good to see you, too.”

  “What does OT mean?” Jordan fluttered out of the kitchen, crinkling her nose at all of us.

  “His name is Owen Thompson, but back when he was a college hockey star, he’d always force games into overtime. Then he became OT, the legend.”

  “Why does this fascinate him so much?” Owen asked me as he nodded in Dominic’s direction.

  “Because you’re the closest he’ll ever get to being friends with a famous athlete.” I shook my head. “If anyone brings up hockey in here, he mentions how he knows an NHL scouting agent in two-point-five seconds.”

  “I’m better known for finding great hockey players than being one for a hot minute once upon a time,” he explained to Jordan as she hung on his every word. Women of all ages fell at his feet, but he only had eyes for my sister. “Could one of y’all get me a cup of coffee?” He cupped his forehead and pressed his temples. “I drove straight through from Manhattan early this morning, and I’m running out of conversation.”

  Jordan darted into the kitchen with Dominic snickering at her exit.

  “You still got it, OT.” He jerked his head to Jordan’s quick departure.

  “Is that why you name-drop me? To get laid? Does it work?”

  “Maybe once or twice. So, what brings you to the shore? Trailing a potential new sign on vacation again?”

  “I went on a run with a new prospect on the beach this morning a couple of towns over in Wildwood. I thought when I quit sports, I’d be able to stop training like an athlete. This was the only free time this prospect had on vacation. With the numbers this kid has, I had to meet with him on his terms. It’s the fun of scouting. Tell me,” Owen dropped a hand on my shoulder, “do you name-drop me in front of women, too?”

  “He doesn’t need to,” Dom answered for me. “One has him pretty riled up at the moment.”

  “What’s this?” Owen’s brow jumped. “You holding out on me? Nice to hear you’re stepping away from the spreadsheets every once in a while.”

  “Nothing to tell.” I grabbed a towel and wiped down the top of the bar and feigned interest in anything I found to be out of place.

  I caught Owen shooting Dominic a puzzled glance.

  “Ask your brother-in-law on that one,” Dom said. “I know the highlights, but he’s not exactly the sharing type.”

  “What’s going on?” Owen rested his elbows on the bar as he studied me.

  “Nothing. Absolutely nothing.” I crossed my arms and leaned against the register. “I met a woman. She came in one night, and she was…” How did I explain Caterina? She was gorgeous, sexy, smart, and didn’t want anything to do with me. I tried to give Owen the shortened version of what had been eating away at me the past few days. “We…had something. I can’t explain it. She said she’s coming off a breakup and didn’t want to start anything, but it feels unfinished. Which is totally insane. I’ve only known her for three days. That’s not enough time to have any actual feelings. Besides, I don’t have time for that shit. You know that.”

  And I didn’t, yet Caterina still raced through my brain since I’d dropped her off at the Anchor yesterday. We hadn’t exchanged any information. No phone numbers or addresses. Running into her was a good possibility, but I doubted she’d come looking for me. Clean break—as if we’d never met.

  But we had, and, as hard as I tried, I couldn’t forget her.

  “You seem pissed off enough about it for some kind of feelings, though. What’s eating you about this woman?”

  “We spent the night together, and I wasn’t planning on taking it further than that, but I couldn’t stay away from her. I ran into her the next day and thought maybe we had a chance, but she told me she’s not ready for any of that. In fact, she told me twice. But I can’t get her out of my head, and it makes no goddamn sense.”

  He nodded a thank you to Jordan after she set his coffee cup down on the counter. “When you get hit, it usually doesn’t.” He grinned before taking a sip.

  “Hit?” I squinted at Owen. “What do you mean hit?”

  “I knew the second I met your sister she was the one. Maybe it wasn’t totally crystal clear at first but, from the time I met her, I couldn’t leave her alone. Sometimes, connections
are immediate, and there’s nothing you can do to stop it. I’m guessing she’s a tourist or not from around here.”

  “She was staying at the Anchor. She drove in alone from Brooklyn and wound up here.”

  “A one-nighter with a tourist isn’t like you. Didn’t you say you’ve steered clear since the stage-five clinger Dominic couldn’t shake from Pennsylvania?”

  A laugh slipped out. “I did, but there was something about her. And I—”

  “Couldn’t stay away.” He chortled and shook his head. “So you keep saying. Sorry, dude. I think you may be fucked.”

  I laughed and shook my head. “I can’t be fucked. I don’t even really know her or how to get in touch with her.”

  “But you know enough to be this twisted from having to walk away. I get the feeling this isn’t over. You aren’t going to be able to let it sit.” His shoulders shook with a laugh as he drained the cup.

  “She’ll be staying in a rental with her friends. She probably won’t even come in here.”

  “I bet she does. And I bet she’ll brush you off a couple more times before she gives in. You just need to decide on your approach.”

  “I don’t have an approach.” Talking about Caterina was as ridiculous as thinking about her. “It’s not like I can text her or ask her to tutor me in accounting.” We’d all heard the story too many times. My sister was brainy and had been burned by a jock, so, for the longest time, she wouldn’t give Owen the time of day until he got creative.

  “She’s going to come to you. Call it a hunch. And when she does, step back a bit. Don’t be an asshole, but also not so accommodating.”

  “I wasn’t accommodating.”

  Jordan cleared her throat behind us before pouring Owen more coffee. “When she came in yesterday morning, he wouldn’t let any of us seat her and made her breakfast himself. It was beyond adorable.”

  “Oh, Joseph.” Owen cracked up. “You’re so fucked. And whatever happens with this girl, I’m glad you put yourself out there for a night. We’re all a little worried about you being alone all the time.”