Seven Days: The Complete Story by Lindy Dale Read Free Book Online Page B

people in
a conga line at a wedding. I can see a speck of something stuck
between his teeth. Probably a chunk of that garlic. “I’m staying at
the resort up the way. The rooms are very nice. Spacious. Great
view of the ocean.”
    I hope he’s
not going to ask me to come back and check it out.
    “Don’t suppose
you fancy coming back to mine for a drink after this?”
    “Maybe some
other time, John—”
    Like when I’m
about ninety.
    “ —But thanks
for the offer.”
    Unable to get
the hint, the man insists we dance for another two songs. He
chatters on like I don’t exist but I think it’s because he’s
nervous, so I reply when he lets me, which isn’t often. He’s adept
at holding a conversation for two people. By the third song my
compassion for men who have the nerve to ask a girl they don’t know
to dance has worn off. We have nothing in common and even though
the poor fellow is asking me every question under the sun to try
and find a bond between us, I feel nothing other than a need to
escape. Especially when he pretends to inadvertently brush his hand
over my bottom. What does he take me for?
    Desperate, I
look over to the table meant for me. It’s empty and the waitress is
cleaning it… but if I go he’ll follow and want to eat with me. The
thought is enough to make me want to hide my head in a toilet bowl
for a very long time. Then, as I study a hair which has fallen onto
his shoulder the oddest thing happens. I feel somebody lean into my
back. I feel the warmth of cloth on the bare skin of my shoulder
blades and a pair of hands on my waist, clasping me firmly and
giving me the slightest tickle along the skin near my armpits.
    Please let it
be Bradley Cooper, I think. Or Jamie Dornan. Either will do.
    A deep voice
speaks, loud enough for my partner to hear, “Sadie, baby. Sorry I’m
late.”
    Okay, so it
isn’t Jamie Dornan but my silent prayers are answered as that
tingle of recognition shoots up my spine. It’s Nicholas. And his
body is pressing against mine in the most delectable way. His
crotch is rubbing against the top of my bottom. His chest is so
close I can feel the buttons of his shirt on my back. His hands are
hot on my sides, tickling and teasing as he grinds sexily against
me. I think I may begin to hyperventilate if he keeps this up.
    “You don’t
mind, do you?” he says to my dance partner, who looks rather
deflated at the interruption. The other man moves aside and as he
does—
    Oh shit,
shitty shit.
    It’s Joel.
He’s standing in front of me or rather dancing in front of me,
having muscled in between Hawaiian shirt guy and myself. He’s so
near I can see the tiny scar he has below the left side of his jaw.
I can smell his manly scent, carefully muted by soap. It’s so
intoxicating I don’t even register that Nicholas and Joel seem to
be together.
    Oooohhh , this is nice, I think instead. I am the meat in a
human sandwich— a sexy, hot, human sandwich.
    “Ariel. Fancy
meeting you here.” Joel reaches across, giving Nicholas a
high five above my head. “And here was me thinking mermaids
couldn’t leave the ocean.”
    Ting .
The lights go on in my brain. I stop dancing and look from Joel to
Nicholas. I am utterly confused. What is going on? Have I fallen
asleep from too many margaritas and am dreaming about some sort of
three-way on the dance floor? And why are Joel and Nicholas
high-fiving over my head? Was this planned???
    “Ariel?”
Nicholas questions.
    “I’d rather we
didn’t go there,” I reply.
    “Too late. He
already knows.” Joel looks at me with fascination, clearly
wondering what I’m going to do with this knowledge. I’m quivering
with excitement or it could be shock. I have no freaking idea
what’s happening or how these two objects of my desire ended up
being in my presence at the same time.
    “You two know
each other?”
    “We’re
business partners.”
    Nooooo .
Seriously? It’s unbelievable enough that I’m attracted to two men
at the