of flip-flops in front of me and urges me to put them on. He swings the backpack over his shoulder and once again takes my hand. I trek behind him as he leads me downstairs.
Asher stops us, and I think things are about to get weird. Instead, he kisses me on the forehead. No words, just a kiss—like a seal of approval. Lily comes and hugs me from the side, but Phoenix still doesn’t let go of my hand.
“Get your man,” she whispers into my ear.
With that, we’re off. When we finally get outside, I see his two-wheeled death machine waiting for us. I decide to give it a leap of faith—this whole ordeal, really. I let him put the helmet on me and then the backpack before he gets on. He leans the bike to the side slightly to make it easier for me to climb on behind him. Then it roars to life. The last time I was on here like this floods my mind. I snuggle close, my arms latching around his waist.
“You ready back there?” he asks.
“As I’ll ever be,” I say through the helmet.
“Remember to lean into the turns with me.”
Oh, I remember. My little speed demon. My stomach drops with our takeoff and doesn’t settle until after the first turn. The vibration between my legs, the wind blowing against me, and the rock-hard abs in my embrace are distraction enough.
As we zip through traffic and get farther away from the beach house, I feel a weight lifted. I don’t know where he’s taking me, but I realize now I needed a break from that house and all that has tainted it. We ride for what seems like forever, and I’m content with it. I get to have the sexy man all to myself and with my brother’s blessing. Things couldn’t get any better at the moment.
We pull up to some fancy-schmancy hotel, Hotel Galvez, and stop right in front of the valet. Phoenix puts the kickstand down, gets off, and then picks me up off the bike. Once again, he takes the backpack and slings it over his shoulder. He gives the little valet guy a wad of cash, and we both watch as the guy walks the bike to a spot near the front.
I look down at myself as I see the nicely dressed people walk past us.
“Don’t worry about them,” he encourages as he holds our room key. So this was why he was gone for an hour. He was getting a room.
We walk inside, and the opulence matches the outside, tall arches and fancy decor—not the kind of place you rent by the hour. No one seems to pay us any mind as we head up to the eighth floor.
We finally get to our room, and I’m surprised. I have to pick up my jaw. Not for the extravagant features of this room, oozing in luxury, but the rose petals that lead to the bathroom. The smell of roses and jasmine wafts in the air. Their petals float on top of the bathwater. I swirl my fingertip in the still hot water.
“Oh, my gosh. How did you do all this?”
He grabs the bottle of champagne from the ice bath next to the tub, then pours us two glasses and winks.
“I didn’t, so I can’t take all the credit. I merely checked us in and paid for this romantic setup.”
“It’s sweet either way. You didn’t have to work this hard to get in my shorts, though,” I tease. “You had me the minute you gave Melissa the boot.”
He flinches slightly. “Please don’t misinterpret my intent, love. This is me restarting the clock. Our do-over. I have so much to explain, and only then, if you still want me, would I love the honor to erase the horrible memories you have of that sick bastard. I love you, Harlow. This gesture is not to get into your pants. It’s to hopefully get back into your heart.”
A tear threatens to fall, and I feel like a crybaby. That’s all I do. Gah, he just said the sweetest thing ever, and my own words get caught in my throat. I let him undress me before he undresses. His semi-hard cock tells a different tale. He helps me into the water first, and it’s perfect. I love the steamy hot water. Him not so much. A giggle escapes me as he cups his balls, easing into the water and rising a few times before he allows