Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 62811 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 314(@200wpm)___ 251(@250wpm)___ 209(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62811 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 314(@200wpm)___ 251(@250wpm)___ 209(@300wpm)
Her friend laughed. “You’ve learned to handle her well.”
Her phone buzzed again from its facedown position on the bed. “If my mother is calling back to give her opinion…” Sasha flipped the phone over and saw Xander’s name flash on the screen along with a text.
She wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or to get worked up again, this time for a wholly different reason. “Looks like my– Looks like Xander’s here.”
Cassidy raised her eyebrows. “Tell me you weren’t about to say date.”
Ignoring her, Sasha lifted her phone from the bed and replied she’d come down to the lobby. She grabbed her handbag and met her friend’s gaze. “I’m leaving.”
Cassidy waved, wriggling her fingers. “Be good!”
Sasha rolled her eyes and strode past her friend, the butterflies in her stomach growing by the second.
“I’m kidding, you know that right?” Cassidy asked. “If you need to talk about anything, I’m here.”
She turned back toward the bedroom, where Cassidy stood in the doorway. “I do. I’m just a nervous mess. I’ll see you later.”
Making her way down to the lobby, Sasha caught sight of Xander standing by a pillar. He wore a pair of jeans that showed off his toned physique. A black tee shirt hugged the muscles in his upper arms and chest, and a pair of loafers were on his feet. His dark brown hair was cropped short, same as when they’d met.
He rarely spoke about his military service, but she was aware of the tension that often consumed him in crowds of people. His hair was just part of his routine and who he’d become while in the Marines.
A pair of sunglasses hung from the neck of his shirt, and as if he felt her staring, he raised his gaze to meet hers. Between his chiseled features, full lips, and piercing stare, he was so sexy, any self-respecting female with a pulse would notice him.
He pushed himself off the pillar and strode over to meet her. “Hey,” he said at the same time she said, “Hi.”
She smiled.
He didn’t but his intense expression unnerved her.
She fidgeted, wondering how to break the ice, then decided to just ignore his mood and the walls he obviously intended to keep in place. “I thought we could take a walk and talk about Amanda? Her motivations, who she is, things like that?”
He inclined his head. “That works. I made an early reservation at Serafina,” he said. “It’s pizza and Italian food. And I asked for a private booth so we won’t be mobbed by people.” He paused. “Unless you’d prefer to be out in the open?”
He spoke as if his question was more of an already made assumption, and she waved a hand, dismissing the idea. He had good reason to wonder if she’d want to be in the spotlight. There’d been a time when her goal was to see and be seen. But not anymore.
“God no,” she said. “So far I’ve been able to stay under the radar here, and I hope to keep it that way.”
He raised an eyebrow. “You do realize this hotel is known as a celebrity hangout?”
She nodded. “But it came highly recommended, and it’s in walking distance of the Highline, the Chelsea Market, the Whitney Museum, and the West Village. And the beds? Have you ever stayed here? I’ve never slept on a more comfortable mattress,” she said, trailing off as she caught how his eyes had darkened when she started talking about beds.
Which, now that she thought about it, had her recalling them and all the things they used to do on his large king mattress in LA. She shivered at the memory of his warm skin against hers, the scent of the aftershave he still wore, and the way his body had always commanded hers. Every part of her reacted, and she was grateful the navy top prevented him from noticing her hardened nipples.
She placed a hand on her hip, refocusing on their conversation about the hotel. “Point being, I really wanted to stay here for various reasons. So did you leave Bella in the Hamptons?” she asked, grasping for an easy change of subject.
“No. She’s at my apartment uptown.”
“You have a place in the city, too?” she asked, feigning surprise. No need to explain she’d called in favors to find out where he lived and where to find him. She was sure he already assumed as much.
He nodded. “Linc lives here. Chloe lives here, though now she’s way downtown with Beck. That’s her fiancé. Business brings me into the city since my agent is here, being bi-coastal and all. And the Hamptons is too long a trip to make for a brief business meeting.”
She laughed at that. “Yes. I made the round trip in one day. I can attest to that.” By the time she’d returned to Manhattan in her rented car, her legs had been numb.