I indulged her by kissing her shoulder and giving her a nice, healthy chin rub, which made her laugh. Then I pulled her back and she settled against my chest. It felt good. Half of me wished I had another condom. The other half was telling me to calm the fuck down and get some sleep. I felt good, sated. For now, anyway.
“So, um…” she began timidly.
I traced a hand over her round hip. “Yes?”
“Just checking to make sure things with you are…better. You weren’t doing so hot when we got back here from the reception.”
My hand stilled on her soft skin and I planted my nose in her hair, inhaling liberally. She angled her head toward me so she could see my face, then ran her hand over the scruff on my jaw.
“You definitely made me feel better. Much better than Jack would have.” I smirked.
She laughed, then rolled around to face me. “I just mean…well, it shook you up pretty badly to see her again. But I don’t understand something that you said. That you feel guilty toward her. If she’s the one who cheated on you, why is that the case?”
I tensed and tried to ignore the old feelings of agitation that arose whenever I thought of Cyndi. “I told you that nice guys finish last. I was a nice guy and I got fucked over—literally. So that was my last day of being a nice guy. I decided that anyone who screwed with me would live to regret it.”
She swallowed, fingering the tattoo on my arm. “So you got some kind of revenge on her?”
I clenched my jaw and then released it. Lying back, I stared at the ceiling, that same guilt taking hold of me. Christ.
“I’m not proud of it now, but it sure felt damn good when I did it. I know people. They do stuff for me…that’s not a new thing. It was the case in college too. I found out who the guy was that she was fucking and threw a hot redhead his way. Didn’t take long before he was fucking her, too. And…well, Cyndi ended up getting a taste of her own medicine. I ended up ruining him, too, after the fact.”
Silence. I held my breath and let it go slowly. Then I chanced a look at her. She was staring off into space, appearing deep in thought. She was a thinker, I’d noticed. She lived in her head a lot.
Finally, she spoke. “I screwed you over, too, with that video, even if it was on accident. Does that mean you’re going to get revenge on me?”
I turned toward her, propping myself up on an arm. “I think after tonight, you can consider yourself thoroughly screwed.” I smiled wolfishly. “But in a much more pleasant way.”
When she looked at me, there was more than desire in her eyes, there was a little fear, too. And damn if it didn’t turn me on a little to see it there. Maybe I’d have to call down to room service for another condom after all.
I tugged on her shoulder to roll her onto her back and then took her mouth with mine, possessing it fiercely. I claimed her with my lips, teeth and tongue until she was gasping for air.
“You’d think after two times I would have had enough,” I mumbled against her neck. “I just want you more now.”
“Oh, God, you always know how to say the right thing.”
“It’s not bullshit, April.”
Her soft hands slid down my back and fresh desire surged.
She pulled away and looked at me, and those deep blue eyes seemed to scour my soul. “You should talk to her.”
I recoiled. “What? Who?”
“Cynthia.”
I took a deep breath and looked away. Wow, she really knew how to kill a moment.
“I mean…if the guilt is getting to you.”
I tensed. “I have no idea what I would say to her.”
“Tell her you’re sorry. It will make you feel better.”
“What will make me feel better is if we forget we saw each other and go on with our lives.”
She looked away, shrugging a shoulder. “It’s just a suggestion, Jordan. You don’t have to listen to the lowly little intern if you don’t want to.”
I didn’t reply. I had nothing to say—even to correct her about her lowly intern remark. So I let it hang there between us.
April pressed her mouth to my chest, murmuring, “God, you are beautiful.” She settled in next to me between my arm and my chest. Exhaustion fell over me like a blanket.
My eyes drifted closed, and I sifted my fingers through her soft hair. The agitation over discussing Cyndi was fading again. This felt…comforting. “You’re lucky I didn’t sleep well last night or I’d be all over you again,” I mumbled.
“Promises, promises,” she said, tracing an idle finger across my stomach.