Mel closed the distance between them and pressed her lips brieflyto Amanda’s. “I’m thinking you’re incredible, even more so than I remembered.”
Damn it all to hell if a giddy flutter didn’t make its way up herspine. She shook her head, as though denying it might vanquish the weaknessbefore it showed on her face. The movement reminded her she was hungover, andthe hangover somehow reminded her of all the reasons having a hangover todaywas the worst possible thing. “What time is it?”
Mel lifted her head and glanced over Amanda’s shoulder. “Quarterafter eight.”
“Damn it.” She climbed out of bed as quickly as her throbbinghead and queasy stomach would allow. “Don’t look at me.”
She ignored Mel’s comment about not being able to keep her eyesoff her and dragged herself to the bathroom. The hot shower made her feelsemi-human but also drove home how much sex she’d had. Her thighs ached and,well, between her thighs did, too. As the water sluiced over her, she gaveherself one minute—one single, solitary minute—to bask in how good it had been.Or maybe how long it had been. One of those things.
She was in the middle of that minute when Mel knocked on thedoor. “Care for company?”
A tiny part of her wanted to say yes, to invite Mel in and do itall over again. To savor being wanted and touched by someone who knew herbetter than anyone, who knew exactly what and where and how she liked to betouched. Fortunately, the sane and rational part of her brain was bigger.“Don’t even think about it.”
She wrapped herself in a towel and looked for her toothbrush,only to remember she was in Mel’s room, not hers. No toothbrush. No ibuprofen.No clothes. She yanked open the bathroom door. “This isn’t my room.”
Mel had pulled on a robe, but didn’t bother to tie it. Amandacouldn’t stop her eyes from drifting down to the curve of her breast peekingout. “It’s not.”
“All my things are in my room.”
“Would you like me to go get them for you?”
Walk of shame in a hotel where she didn’t know anyone or gettingready side by side with Mel. Those were her choices. “No, no. I’ll just pull onmy clothes from last night.”
“All right.” Mel smiled.
“Don’t you want to,” she gestured to the bathroom, “go in there?”
“I’m in no hurry.”
Rather than arguing or cajoling, Amanda scooped up her clothesfrom the various places they’d been discarded and returned to the bathroomherself. She got dressed and ran her fingers through her hair a few times in aneffort to tame it. A shadow on her neck caught her attention. A hickey. She hada fucking hickey.
She emerged to find Mel sitting on the corner of the bed in therobe and a pair of silk boxers. It was unfortunate smug looked so good on her.“Don’t smile at me like that.”
“I can’t help it. I’m happy.”
Amanda slipped into her shoes and shook her head. “The sex hasaddled your brain. This was a terrible idea.”
Mel got up and crossed the room with purpose. She placed a handon each of Amanda’s shoulders. “Being with you is never a terrible idea.”
Amanda laughed in spite of herself. “This isn’t your classroom,Professor Stein. Just because you declare it doesn’t make it true.”
The insult didn’t stick for even a second. “You don’t have toadmit it, but I’m right about this.”
“Well, I don’t have time to argue, so there you go.”
“I’ll take it.” She winked, then kissed Amanda on the cheek.“I’ll meet you downstairs to check out and drive over to Daniella’s.”
Right. That. Crap. “Give me fifteen minutes.”
Mel offered a playful salute. “Yes, ma’am.”
She hurried to her room, happy not to bump into anyone along theway. She changed, packed up her things, and cast a parting glance at the bedshe’d not even touched. When she walked into the lobby, Mel was already there.She couldn’t remember the last time Mel was somewhere waiting for her and nowit had to go and happen twice in twenty-four hours.
“I texted the kids and let them know we were running a fewminutes late.”
Amanda handed her key card to the man at the desk and tamped downthe flash of panic. It made perfect sense for Mel and her to coordinate. Itwouldn’t give away spending the night together. Surely, the kids wouldn’t pickup on it. “You didn’t tell them, did you?”
Mel offered her a flirtatious smile. “Tell them what?”
“I’m serious. It would only confuse them. And potentially freakthem out.” Hell, she was confused and freaked out and she was the one who’ddone it.
That seemed to make Mel relent. “I was kidding. Of course I’m notgoing to say anything to them.”
“Good. Thank you.”
“It doesn’t mean I’m not interested in doing it again.”
Amanda told herself Mel was joking about that, too, even thoughher expression was serious. “I can’t have this conversation with you right now.We need to go.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
It was the second time Mel had used the phrase. Much like thewaiting, it stirred up all sorts of memories from the early years of theirrelationship. Memories of Mel teasing her about being bossy everywhere but bed,of Mel finding it sexy she was so driven and goal-oriented. Memories she’d notsuppressed, exactly, but had set aside so she could get on with the business ofher life. But just like the conversation about doing it again, she didn’t havethe time or the energy to go there.
They parted ways at the garage and drove to Daniella’s dorm. BothCal and Daniella sat on a bench out front and made a point of twiddling theirthumbs to show they’d been ready and waiting. Amanda reminded them how manytimes she’d sat around waiting for them.
Between the four of them, they had both cars loaded in under anhour. Daniella opted to ride home with Mel, while Cal piled in with her. Shestarted the trek home, wishing she’d taken some ibuprofen before getting in thecar.
“Are you all right? You seem, I don’t know, dazed.” Cal regardedher with concern.
She waved her hand. “I’m fine. Didn’t sleep well. You know how Iam in hotels.”
He seemed to take her answer at face value. “Yeah.”
It felt in
