It was like the universe was playing a sick trick on me. Not that it had put me off.
After that first taste of her, there honestly wasn’t much that would have put me off her. Even once she’d told me who she was, I’d still gone ahead and fucked her two more times.
Once in the middle of the night when we’d both woken up around the same time, and again in the shower just thirty minutes ago. One night with her had me counting my blessings and questioning my sanity all at the same time.
I fucked Charles’ daughter. Three times. A hat trick of getting off with the daughter of the man who would ruin my career in a heartbeat. And that was before I’d gone and done this.
I’d also finished off the jug of margaritas with her somewhere in the middle of the night, buck-ass naked, and ordered her room service for breakfast. It had been arguably the best one-night stand of my life, but I probably shouldn’t go there again.
Which sucked.
I really, really wanted to go there again. Especially as her fingers trailed absently up and down the length of my thigh as I drove her home. Well, not home. I was dropping her off down the block from the house—at her request.
What was worse was that the sun had gone and done its thing. The curtains in my room had been drawn this morning, extending the night for just a couple hours longer.
Now, my body was at war with my mind. I couldn’t formulate a word to say to her, even though we’d talked for hours when we’d had our naked margarita fest.
“I know it’s awkward,” she said suddenly, piercing the deafening silence that had fallen between us after we’d left the hotel room.
My gaze found hers in the rearview mirror. “What’s awkward?”
She rolled those pretty eyes, her slightly swollen lips pulling into a smile as she gestured between us. “This. Me being the daughter of one of your commanding officers.”
“It’s not—” I cut myself off. “Okay. Yeah, it’s awkward as fuck.”
Her fingers wrapped around the top of my thigh. “It doesn’t have to be. I don’t know if this will make it easier for you, but I know he’s not well liked among you guys. I understand it. You also have my word that I won’t say anything to him.”
“Thanks,” I said because I still couldn’t think of much else.
Sofia’s hazel eyes, which really should have been a giveaway about who she was, rolled again. “Look, I don’t want you to feel weird about this. I’m in town for the summer. If you want to hang out, give me a call.”
“That’s not a good idea.” I brought my hand down on hers and wound our fingers together. “I don’t want this to sound like an excuse because it’s not. But considering who your father is, we should probably stay away from each other.”
A quiet sigh came out of her, but she nodded. “If that’s what you think is best, I can live with it. Just know that your secret is safe with me. I’ll leave you my number just in case you change your mind.”
There was a pen and a hotel matchbox Eden had left in the center console. Sofia snatched both up, scrawling her name and number on it as I slowed the truck.
I knew where Charles lived, though I never thought I’d be using his address as a place to drop off someone I’d hooked up with. There was a small park about a block away from their house, and she’d asked me to drop her there.
I parked but didn’t turn off the engine. Shifting in my seat to face her, I presented my hand for the matchbox.
Sofia placed it right in the center of my palm, but her gaze was on mine. “I promise you have nothing to worry about. My dad won’t ever know about this.”
Sunlight streaming in behind her caused a golden halo around her head. Her eyes were soft and understanding, but her jaw was set with determination. Despite the daintiness of her features, she really was a fierce woman.
The words fierce, intelligent, beautiful, sexy, and Charles’ daughter should never have been strung together in one sentence in my mind, but now I was fucked. If he ever found out? Shit, I didn’t even want to think about it.
On the other hand, he was out to get me anyway. I doubted he would, but that didn’t stop him from trying. If I was on my way out one way or the other, why not go out in a blaze of glory? Well, glorious sex. Not necessarily glory.
“Let me think about it, okay? I’ll call you.” It sounded like a line, but it really wasn’t one.
Sofia must have seen that because she nodded firmly once before her expression dissolved into one of mischief. “I’ll be seeing you around then, Linc. Keep my spot in your bed warm for me.”
She gave me an elaborate, saucy wink, chuckling as she climbed out of the truck. Her hand shot up in a wave as she started down the sidewalk, but she never looked back. She walked with the confidence and poise of a much taller, much more cocky woman, but then she hopped over the low fence into the park like a teenage boy might have, and all I could do was laugh.
“Fuck, I’m so screwed,” I groaned into my hands as I scrubbed them over my face.
The matchbox now lay in my lap. I should’ve thrown it away, and I knew it, but I didn’t do it. I tossed it into my glove compartment instead, promising myself that I wouldn’t do anything rash. Oh, who the fuck do you think you’re kidding?
Solidly ignoring the shit-stirring voice at the back of my mind, I jerked the truck into gear and got the hell out of Charles’ neighborhood. When I got back to the hotel, Eden had stumbled in and was sleeping on a couch
