Okay, June, think.
Last night. After the concert, I’ d met up with Brie and Martucci at the hotel bar. They were doing tequila shooters. Kitty and Gran had decided to call it a night. Their flight was leaving early in the morning, so they’ d thanked me and invited all of us to Marissa’ s birthday party. After they left, Troy came down wearing jeans and a leather jacket and carrying a travel bag. He gave his hotel key card to Brie- said he was going to head home so she might as well have her own room.
The last thing I could remember was Martucci challenging me to an upside-down shooter. I don’ t recall if I said good-bye to Troy. Just did a back bend over the barstool. Then I watched as he walked away, upside down, and Martucci poured the tequila in my mouth until my throat burned and my eyes watered.
Martucci.
It was all coming back. Him carting me up to the room. Pulling off my top. Me, sliding off my panties.
There was a wastebasket next to the bed. I gazed into it, wondering if I’ d see a used condom or a wrapper. It was empty. Which was either good news or bad news-either I didn’ t do anything or I did, and without protection. Right now, Martucci’ s sperm could be thundering through me, trying to create little Martuccis.
The bathroom door handle turned, and-why I suddenly felt the need to be modest I don’ t know-I pulled the sheets around me.
And out walked& Runner. My masseur. Huh.
He had a towel wrapped around his waist, his massive chest bare. His hair hung loose and wet down his back.
‘ Good morning,’ he said cheerfully.
‘ Morning.’
‘ How’ re you feeling?’
‘ Confused.’
‘ Yeah, that was one wild night.’ He picked up the shirt off the floor and tossed it on. I averted my gaze as he stepped into the boxers and then the pants. ‘ You were really out of it.’
Was it Runner who’ d undressed me? It must have been, but the memory of Martucci was so distinct. The way I’ d tugged on his rattail. But maybe it was Runner’ s ponytail. Or both of theirs. Who knew? I might have had my first one-night stand or my first orgy.
‘ Well,’ Runner said, heading for the door, ‘ Brie ought to be out of the bathtub by now. Thanks for letting me use your shower.’
Use my shower?
‘ We didn’ t sleep together, then?’ I asked.
He boomed out a laugh. ‘ I needed to shower before work. Brie was already in the tub and in no hurry to get out& or to share. She suggested I use this one.’
‘ Ah, so you and Brie& ‘
‘ Helluva woman, that friend of yours. Glad I hooked up with you guys. Whooee, you sure put back the tequila fast last night. You didn’ t even make it to midnight before you started to pass out.’
‘ Speaking of that,’ I ventured, ‘ were you the one who brought me up here?’
He shook his head. ‘ Nah, it was your friend. The Italian guy.’
I nodded, smiling, as if that were swell news.
Runner left, and I managed to shower, pack, and meet the others for the drive home, where I immediately crawled into one of the motor home’ s sleeper bunks and slept. I woke up only long enough to attempt to gag down a McSomething or other.
Martucci dropped Brie off first, then took me home, which gave me time alone with him to ask what I’ d been dreading but needed to know.
I moved to the passenger seat to sit next to him as he drove. He chewed on sunflower seeds, spitting the hulls into a bag on the dashboard.
‘ I don’ t know how to ask this, so I’ m just going to ask it,’ I said.
‘ All right.’
‘ Did we have sex?’
‘ Don’ t remember a thing, huh?’
‘ If you must know, I vividly recall you undressing me.’
‘ Ah& ‘ He sighed happily. ‘ So do I.’
‘ Very amusing. This was a tough weekend for me. I was extremely vulnerable. I can’ t believe you’ d take advantage. That you’ d-’
‘ Parker, don’ t get yourself in a twist. I was only messing with you. Nothing happened.’
‘ Oh, please. Don’ t lie.’
An image of me licking his face rose to my mind.
‘ I’ m not lying. You were totally wasted, so I brought you up to your room. And sweetheart, you were begging for it. Practically dry-humping me. You know, you really shouldn’ t go so long without sex.’
‘ And you expect me to believe you didn’ t take me up on it?’ I was skeptical and, frankly, a little insulted.
‘ You may not believe this, but I have standards.’
‘ I suppose you’ re going to tell me that you undressed me, but you didn’ t look.’
