Page 38 of Until The Lights Go Out

I smiled—slow, deliberate, ready to rip the Band-Aid off. Tell her that this was one night only and no strings, like it always was. I never slept with a woman twice. It was a simple rule of mine, one and done. “Only if you’re expecting something real.”

For a split second, something flickered across her face. Curiosity. Maybe caution. It was a fair reaction.

Then she squeezed my hand lightly.

“Good thing I’m not.”

“Good,” I said, finishing my drink. “I don’t do repeats. No strings, understood?” Because while I loved a good distraction, I always made sure I was clear with my intentions. That was exactly how I liked it, easy and in control.

“Lead the way,” she smirked, pursing her lips. She wrapped a hand around my bicep, and we left behind the now rather loud bar. Sebastian was leaning into the brunette, his hand trailing down her neck, also distracted. I nudged him and said goodbye before we headed out of the hotel bar back to the main hallway.

“You know, I didn’t think F1 drivers were usually this tall. Is it different in the car for you than others?” she asked. I opened my mouth to reply, but before I could, I heard a familiar voice. I blinked several times, unsure if the alcohol was making me hallucinate at this point. I didn’t usually drink before races, the parties were reserved for after. But I had to do something to make my mind stop spinning. Something to make me stop thinking about the blue-eyed, freckle-faced, curvy goddess that stood a few feet in front of us at the reception desk. To make matters worse, my hallucination of Maisey was wearing short, bright-pink pajama shorts with little hearts all over them. They hugged every inch of her, barely containing her ass. As my eyes dragged up, it only got worse. Because also clinging to her was a lacy, cropped tank. The sliver of her stomach on display made me practically drool on sight. Her hair was down and cascading down her back. She was waving her hands around, a bewildered hotel employee watching her as she went on about something. Cassie was talking again, tapping my arm to get my attention.

I blinked, trying to clear away the very clear drunken hallucination of an adult Maisey clad in tiny pink pajamas. But no, she was still there. Her head whipped around, and the blue eyes I could never get just right in my imagination were staring back at me, a deliriously large smile plastered on her face taking me by such surprise, I felt like I might fall right over.

“Theo!” she cheered. “Oh my God!” She was barreling toward me, and before I knew it, her hand wrapped around mine, and she dragged me to the lobby desk. “I need you to explain to this nice lady that I need the cheesy puffs in the market.”

“As I was trying to explain, the hotel market is closed and will reopen at six in the morning.” The receptionist looked at me in desperation.

“Yes, but I’ll pay double, triple even! I know you have a key. Please ma’am, I really need the cheesy puffs in that basket.” Maisey pointed to the rattan baskets in the little hotel market, one holding orange plastic bags with little pictures of cheesy puffs on the front.

“Ma’am—”

“Give me your wallet!” Maisey looked toward me, holding out a hand. “Come on!”

I stared at her in wonder. Because this Maisey hadn’t changed one bit, the same shit-stirring girl who would get me into trouble as a kid was staring at me and demanding my wallet. I sighed because there was simply no way I could say no to her. Her lips were curved down, a pout resting there, and I realized that I was not a strong man. I was a very weak one, in fact. Because staring at Maisey’s lips at that moment, I would’ve done anything she asked of me. I pulled out my wallet and grabbed a wad of cash, mostly hundreds, and handed them over.

“Two bags please ma’am. I hope this covers the inconvenience,” I explained.

“Of course, Mr. Bauer. No problem at all.” The woman smiled brightly at me, grabbing a set of keys from a drawer and walking over to the locked market doors. Maisey turned to me with the same brilliant smile, and she jumped up and down.

“Thank you, thank you!” she cheered and threw her hand around my neck before I could even realize what was happening. My arms wrapped right around her in response, hands squeezing her waist, dipping into her hips, skin touching skin. Electricity zinged through me.

“Are you drunk, Red?” I whispered in her ear as she squeezed her arms around me. She reared back, a loose smile on her as she shook her head no.

“Sure,” I replied, smirking back. “You drinking in your room alone?”

“Rude,” she shot back. “And no, I made a new friend, and we had a girls’ night, but she went to bed an hour ago, and well, I had another glass of wine to finish the bottle, and then I had a hankering for cheesy puffs and remembered they were down here!” She rattled off the story quickly, her balance tipping as she explained it and spun around to point again.

“Careful,” I huffed out, hands steadying her again. I wanted to keep touching her, I wanted my hands to explore every single luxurious curve of her body.

“Um, Theo?” Cassie’s voice cut in, making my hands drop like they were on fire. Fuck.

I turned to her. “Yep?”

“I’m gonna go back to the bar…” she said, her eyes trying to convey something to me. Maybe she wanted me to go back with her, but honestly, my feet were glued right here next to Maisey, and I was not leaving her this drunk on her own. She would break a damn ankle on her trek back to the room. And hers was next to mine, so it just made sense for me to help her.

“Alright,” I replied simply. Her eyes lingered.

“See you around…” Cassie waved, looking annoyed.

“Who’s that?” Maisey attempted a whisper but was speaking full volume next to my ear. Cassie turned around, and Maisey broke into giggles, throwing her hands over her face then leaning into my chest to hide. Her familiar strawberry scent wafting over made my knees weak. I am so fucked. I tried to think sober thoughts. Sane, regular, not obsessive thoughts. But Maisey was literally giggling into my chest, and it was the cutest damn thing I had ever seen in my life.

“Here are your snacks!” the receptionist said, handing over two bags of cheesy puffs, interrupting my inner thought spiral.

“Thank you so much,” Maisey said very seriously, her voice slowing down as she reached out, taking the bags of puffs. “Holy shit, I can’t believe that worked!” Her eyes were wide looking up at me.

“Good thing I was here, huh?”