Page 19 of Have To Be Mine

“I am not pouting,” I said.

“Oh, look at those little pouty lips.” He reached out like he might touch my face.

I slapped his hand away and took a step back. “Hell no. I saw those models leaving your room. You need to wash those hands before you get near me.”

Dash grinned. “What? They were just helping me do my taxes.”

I crossed my arms over my chest. “Whatever. It’s none of my business.”

“Where are you going right now? Have you decided I’m too much of a pain in the ass and you’re heading back to America?”

“You wish you were so lucky,” I said. “I’m going to get dinner.”

His eyes twinkled with excitement. “You know, I haven’t eaten.”

“You probably should. Judging by the looks of your company, you drank your breakfast and lunch. Try solids for dinner.”

He laughed. “Let’s have dinner together.”

“No thanks. There is not enough bleach in the world to get me to step foot in that room.”

“Why would you assume I wanted to have dinner in my room? Is that what’s on your mind, Captain Krista?”

I shut my room door and checked to make sure it latched. Then I started down the hall. “Good night, Dash.”

“Burn those fucking pants,” he called out.

“Get tested,” I replied without breaking my stride. “I’ll pick up some bleach.”

His laughter followed me down the hall. I slapped my hand against the elevator button and refused to look back. I didn’t want to know if he was watching me.

I stepped into the elevator and only then did I allow myself a quick glance. He wasn’t there. Why would he be? Why would he watch me walk away when he’d just spent a long afternoon with two woman who were hot professionally? The man was probably beyond sated.

And then I was thinking about Dash and sex.

I groaned and put a finger to my temple. That was an image that was never going away.

Tomorrow was going to be rough.

7

DASH

Iheard my phone from somewhere in the distance. It took me several seconds to realize it wasn’t that far away. It was me that was far away in my dream. And some asshole just disturbed what had been cranking up to be a really good one.

I reached my hand out, slapping at the nightstand where I knew I had left the damn thing. It just kept making noise. I found it, snatched it, and used one eye to look at the screen. There were six missed calls from an unknown number. I was not interested. I put the phone on silent and dropped it back on the nightstand. Then I rolled over and willed my brain to drop me back into my lovely dream.

But before I could even settle, there was a pounding at the door.

“Dammit!” I growled and pulled a pillow over my head.

The pounding continued, getting louder and far too aggressive. The fucking building better be on fire. I snatched my phone to check the time. It was just after ten. Before noon. Did I order room service before I passed out? I didn’t think I did, but no one else would dare.

I swung my legs over the side of the bed and sat there for a second, letting my brain catch up with the rest of me. My head wasn’t pounding, but it wasn’t thrilled about the morning either.

And then the pounding started again.

“Alright,” I muttered, mostly to myself.