LIAR LIAR (Sexy Southerners series) Read online

  “Oh my god!” She clutched the covers to her chest and scanned the room.

  Last night was so fuzzy. She remembered the forest, the bar, returning to her room with Matt, her feral attraction to the titanic Texan. After that, things were…unclear. Her room was still orderly, although there was a metal food cart loaded with still-covered dishes near the door that she didn’t recall. The faint odor of fish and chocolate wafted through the room.

  Jess thought she was going to puke.

  Her head ached and her stomach growled. Had she eaten yesterday? She wiped the sleep out of her eyes and dropped her hand to the pillow next to her. It was warm. She jerked her hand back as if burned. Her gaze rested on the depression in the down mattress. She leaned over, unable to resist sniffing the pillow next to her head. Matt’s unmistakable combination scent of citrus aftershave and skin permeated the bedclothes. On closer inspection, a few dark hairs clung to the flannel pillowcase. Jess gulped.

  She was naked and she hadn’t slept alone. Things were going from bad to worse. She stood up and clutched the comforter around her nakedness.

  “Matt?” she called, in case he was in the bathroom. She paused, straining her ears for sounds of foreign occupancy. “Hello?” Her voice was raspy.

  Nothing.

  Of course, he’d left. Jess expelled the air she didn’t realize she was holding in. She stumbled toward the door to flip the deadbolt on her door, unsure if she was thrilled or devastated that he’d left without saying goodbye.

  She moved to the large granite tiled bathroom and flipped the shower handle on full blast. The spray of water in the enclosed glass stall reminded her of the afternoon rain. She shed her comforter, watching her reflection disappear in the steamy mirror. What kind of woman has a one night stand with a guy she just met?

  Not her. She’d never been that kind of girl, not even in college, a time when most coeds caved under the peer pressure for a good time.

  She’d always been the steadfast sorority sister, the one who dragged her friends home after a night out. The one who refused to succumb to the charms of jocks and stoners, the one who vowed never to end up like her mother, a victim of her own neediness.

  At least until she’d met Stan.

  A whirlwind romance her senior year with the most notorious charmer on campus had tested her fortitude. She should have known better, but she’d just been so flattered by his persistent and fervent attention. When he pinned her with his fraternity letters and promised his undying love in front of her entire house, she thought she’d finally found the guy that would make her dreams come true. She’d been twenty-two.

  Eight long years later, she’d discovered you had to make your own dreams. Suze would say sometimes it took a walk on the wild side to get what you wanted.

  She certainly looked wanton. Her hair curled around her face in untamed auburn waves, and her nipples were as pink as cotton candy from Matt’s kisses. Jess leaned closer and realized her mascara had melted under her lower lids, lining her eyes in a sultry shadow.

  “Oh, geez.” Jess swiped a q-tip under her eyes. She certainly didn’t look like herself. Careful, cautious Jessica would never have succumbed to sensual pleasures--not without some sort of cautionary back-up plan. What was she going to say if she ran into Matt? What should she do?

  She stepped under the spray, feeling an odd mix of anticipation and embarrassment.

  The hot sheeting water cascaded down her backside, soothing her tense shoulder muscles. If only she could remember what happened last night. The combination of her faulty memory and her complete nudity didn’t bode well. Her skin tingled, as if remembering the feel of his hands on her body. Jess rested her head against the shower enclosure. The glass was cool against her cheek, despite the water temperature.

  Sex with a virtual stranger. Not exactly an appropriate beginning to finding a companion. The guy probably thought she was easy. Heck, it’s not like she’d done anything to change that perception. Inviting him to her room for an intimate meal? She groaned and lathered her hair with her favorite shampoo, the one that smelled like honeysuckle.

  She wanted a lover, yes, but more than that she wanted someone with long term potential. Someone who, unlike Stan, was trustworthy and faithful.

  Jess rinsed her hair and reached for her grapefruit body gel. There had to be a few good men left. They couldn’t all be liars. The memory of Matt’s kisses left her tingling in a way that the hot water didn’t help. Good didn’t begin to describe him.

  He was…incredible. Sexy. Better than that, he made her feel sexy. It had been a long time since a man had made her feel so satisfied and so hungry for more. She felt her body flush with desire. She’d never wanted a man as much as she wanted Matt last night. Too bad he’d snuck out like a thief afterwards…she might have been persuaded to rethink her prudish resolutions.

  If only she could remember! If the flashes of her memory were any indication, it would have been some night. So why hadn’t he stuck around? Matt didn’t strike her as a love ‘em and leave ‘em type. Why wouldn’t he want to face her, unless….

  Jess bit her bottom lip. What if last night was horrible? She angled the spray over her face. The water sluiced her skin, clarifying her thoughts. It made sense. Drunk or not, she wasn’t feeling too confident in the sexual arena these days.

  Stan had never been overly interested in making love with her, not after the first year of their marriage. He’d been needy, she realized now, desperate for attention from any woman within arm’s reach. Until he’d had them. Most times he just gave her breasts a cursory jiggle or two and a few cold kisses before rolling on top of her. He finished in less than two minutes, usually with the bedroom remote in hand. Pinky had pleased her far more than her ex-husband, those last years. Jess stifled a wave of shame. Was she bad in bed?

  She gazed down at her naked wet body, trying to view herself from Matt’s perspective. She wasn’t perfect, but she had some nice curves and good muscle tone thanks to her workout schedule. A man as gorgeous as Matt could have his pick of women, and he’d obviously chosen her.

  And what if they hadn’t had sex? It wasn’t like she felt any different. It had been so long, surely her body would show some signs of fatigue or…use. She touched between her legs, gently probing for any sore spots, but there were none.

  She relaxed. Matt was a sensitive guy, so far. Maybe he’d recognized how drunk she was and let her sleep it off. Maybe he hadn’t taken advantage of her when she was obviously out of her right mind. There were still some decent guys left in the world, weren’t there?

  Her fingers circled her breasts and her nipples puckered. The combination of her soap slicked hands and the water dripping down her back reminded her of the woods, of Matt’s hands buried between her legs. Her outer lips grew swollen and tingly. Maybe she should take out Pinky and show him Montana? Just to take the edge of her libido?

  Screw that, the handheld shower head would be just fine.

  Her fingers slipped down her wet, soap slicked body to find the soft folds where she burned in the vee of her legs. The combination of water and heat reminded her of the feral way Matt had put his mouth on her. She swiped a finger over her clit, and imagined his lips there. Before she could think, she had the shower wand, aiming the stream of warm water over the spot that desperately wanted Matt’s tongue. She imagined him in the shower with her, his strong arms supporting her as she wrapped her legs around his waist. The chill of the glass against her backside, as he lifted her onto his stiff cock and plunged into her again and again….

  Oh, yes. A screaming orgasm was the perfect way to start the day.

  She didn’t want it to end. As the tremors left her body, she quickly rinsed and switched off the water. Jess toweled off, water from her wet hair pattering on the bathroom tiles. A muffled voice sounded from the hallway and then subsided as someone else headed out for the day. Her stomach rumbled again and she wondered if she’d slept through breakfast. She was always hungry after sex.
r />   She wrapped a towel around her hair and walked into the bedroom to dress. Her LoveLines file lay half hidden under her ruined silk blouse, and she wondered what Matt would have thought if he’d seen the paperwork. It would never do to be caught in her investigation—at least not before she was ready to start the internal audits. Discretion was the better part of valor, so she returned the file to her briefcase, slipping it within the inner file pocket and shutting the lock. Now, time to find out what happened last night.

  As she reached in the dresser for a clean pair of panties, her foot nudged the wastebasket next to the bed. Jess glanced down, balancing the towel turban with one hand.

  There amidst the plastic bag lining and a few crumpled tissues lay a long, shriveled piece of flesh colored latex. Jess felt her stomach lurch. “Oh, no!”

  A used condom.

  Jess stared at it, the symbol of her recent sexual forays. There was no denying it now. She’d done it. Done him.

  Her throat closed up and her palms began to sweat. She just wasn’t built for impersonal sexual flings, to say nothing of how this would impact the legitimacy of her investigation.

  She had to call Matt. To explain how out of character last night had been. Hopefully, he’d understand.

  Jess grabbed for the phone receiver, and then slammed it down howling in frustration. He’d never told her his last name or his room number! Her heartbeat pounded in her chest, and her breathing grew tight. She’d had sex with a practically nameless man!

  “Geez.” Jess smacked her forehead with the heel of her hand. She didn’t know how to reach him and there was no way to track him through the front desk. But he sure knew where to find her.

  Suddenly she was jumping at every little sound. Every murmur from the hall, every closing door, every ping from the elevator at the end of the hall meant an embarrassing scene. What if she’d promised him more sex last night? Who knew what she’d said or done?

  She had to get out of there and quick, before he returned expecting an early morning snack. Coward, she chided herself as she dragged on her yoga clothing, scarcely paying attention to whether her socks matched. She towel dried her hair, and slicked on a little facial moisturizer to combat yesterday’s air travel.

  Her heart hammered in her throat as she raced to put on her workout sneakers. She grabbed her keycard and peered out the peephole before slipping into the hallway and closing the heavy wooden door behind her. Of all the stupid moves, and on her first solo investigation! She strode down the hallway, her back stiff with humiliation. Maybe she could change rooms. Come up with a plausible excuse why she couldn’t see Matt again. Oh, how she wanted to see him again, though….She ignored the stab of regret in her heart. She could apologize later, if she ran into him. If he hadn’t already moved on to another conquest. Stop it, she chided herself. All men are not created equal. Jess stabbed the button for the elevator with a shaking hand. With any luck, she’d find her way to the lodge gym before….

  “Well, hello there,” said a familiar male voice behind her. Her luck ran out.

  Jess started and dropped her room keycard.

  “Hey, Rex.” She turned, trying to calm her yammering pulse.

  “I was just coming by to see if you’d like to join me for breakfast.” His gray eyes scanned her attire. “But apparently you had other plans?”

  “Just going for a quick workout.” Jess crouched and snatched up her white keycard from the carpeted floor. “Thanks anyways.”

  “What about later? I’d like a chance to get to know you better, Ms. Barlow.” Rex leaned against the elevator doorjamb and smiled, completely oblivious to her anxiety.

  Couldn’t this guy take a hint? She needed to call Suze to catch up, maybe get a few pointers on how to get rid of a guy. She’d never had that problem before. How she ever thought a vanilla bean like Rex Stanton could satisfy her over Matt’s double fudge charisma was beyond her.

  “Uh, sure.” Jess shifted her weight to the balls of her feet as if she could mentally force Rex to move. “Some other time, though. I’ve really got to run.” Screw the elevator; she’d go jogging on the nature trail.

  “I’m accustomed to getting my way, Ms. Barlow. I’d really like to see you again.”

  Jess cocked her head. Rex’s behavior was borderline pushy, but maybe it was the pressure of a secluded dating pool. Maybe he hadn’t had success in the program either? He could mean support for her investigation. She really needed multiple perspectives in the case.

  “Um…okay. How about lunch tomorrow?” She scooted a step further away. Lunch should be safe, right?

  It felt wrong to accept his offer, and not only because she’d been making love to another man last night. Her heart thumped in her chest as she realized that Matt could show at any minute, making for a truly embarrassing situation. What she wouldn’t give for some of Suze’s advice right now…she glanced around the hallway. Best to get rid of Rex as soon as possible.

  “I’d hoped to see you sooner.” Rex shifted, dogging her movements.

  Was he going to chase her down the hall?

  She bit her lip. A distant hum signaled the approach of the elevator’s approach. An elevator that could hold her latest conquest (not that she could remember, thank you very much), and most-embarrassing-moment-of-her-life number three.

  “Breakfast, then?” she suggested, desperate to get rid of Rex. She took another step toward the patch of sunshine beaming through the lobby’s open front doors.

  Rex’s mild expression brightened. “Exactly what I had in mind,” he murmured, his eyes fixing on her lips. Without warning, he swooped down to kiss her. She turned her head at the last second and he caught her near her ear.

  “Oh!” Jess dropped her room key again. It flopped on the dense patterned carpet.

  They both reached for it and clunked heads. Dimly she heard Rex’s muffled curse as his chin made contact with the back of her skull. The hall dissolved into tiny stars of light. She grabbed for the wall as she straightened, trying to keep her balance. This trip was wreaking havoc on her head!

  “Don’t misunderstand me, Mr. Stanton.” Jess shook her head and backed away. “I agreed to meet for conversation and coffee.” She rubbed her head, wincing at the tender spot forming beneath her fingertips. “Nothing more.”

  “I see.” Rex nodded. “Well, I’d expect nothing more from a woman like you. Enjoy your workout. I’ll meet you in the lounge at eight tomorrow, unless you prefer to sleep in?”

  A woman like her. What did he know about a woman like her?

  Jess cringed. This was a bad idea, but she had to agree or spend more precious time wheedling her way out of it.

  “Fine.” There was an exercise track just past the lounge on the main floor, if only she could reach it. She trotted down the hall. “I’ll see you then,” she called over her shoulder.

  “Ms. Barlow, one moment.” Rex called. Jess smothered a groan and stopped again. He strode down the hall toward her. “Here.” Rex held out her room key. “I believe this is yours.”

  “Oh, right. My keycard.” Jess grasped the edge of the key just as Matt turned the corner. He paused right in front of them, like a deer caught in headlights. His gaze darted from her to Rex to the key suspended in both of their hands. His eyes narrowed. A haunted expression flashed across his features then vanished as his lips curved into a tight forced smile.

  “Whoa, don’t let me interrupt.” Matt backed away with his hands spread. “Excuse me. You two have a good morning.” He turned on his heel and headed for the lodge restaurant like a steam engine on full throttle.

  Jess wanted to vaporize on the spot.

  “That was odd.” Rex stroked his chin. “Do you know him?”

  “You could say that.” She rubbed the ache starting to form behind her eyes. Did she know him? More than she should but not as much as she wanted to.

  All she’d wanted to do was avoid a scene. Okay, that wasn’t quite true. If she was totally honest with herself, what she wanted was
some time with the sexy Texan who just stalked out. She couldn’t blame him. It probably looked like she was giving out her room key right and left. Given her easy attitude yesterday, Matt probably assumed the worst. Well, she wasn’t that type of girl, even if she couldn’t prove it. She needed to explain things, if only to assure herself that she wasn’t just like Stan. She’d always been a faithful woman. The fact that she’d succumbed to Matt’s charms didn’t mean she was susceptible to every Tom, Dick, and Rex.

  “Are we still on for tomorrow?” Rex asked.

  Jess sighed. “I’ll see you later.” She ignored Rex’s confused sputter and scooted after Matt’s departing form.

  ***

  Matteo clenched his jaw and signaled for a coffee from the waitress as he bellied up to the high bar at the front of the lodge restaurant.

  Lesson learned, he reminded himself. You get involved and you get burned. The old familiar ache in his chest grew tighter, an ache he thought he’d long outgrown.

  He’d showered and dressed with care, anticipating a day in the company of an incredibly beautiful woman who made him forget all his carefully honed reserves--something he hadn’t done in a long time. He’d changed his clothes three times, feeling more like a nervous college kid than a man with more conquests than he cared to count. Jess had been so responsive last night, his cock had been hard for the past half hour just from the memory of her touch. His erection finally subsided only from sheer will power and a good old fashioned cold shower. As he’d smoothed gel through his hair, he couldn’t stop thinking about her, what it would be like to run his hands over her luscious body again. To kiss that succulent mouth of hers.

  What if she really was as good as she looked?

  He hadn’t felt that way about a woman since…well, he couldn’t remember when. Not since his first real heartbreak. It still galled him that after all this time he was susceptible to the hope that one day someone would prove to be as good as they appeared. Would he never learn? She was playing him. A woman like Jess would make her own decisions, regardless of his feelings.