It didn’t matter how many damn to-do lists I had, or how many of those items I checked off—I could never sleep the night before the big event. My Rusty Nail, the best drink ever created, burned my throat in the perfect way and the adorable bartender slid me my second glass. He defined eye-candy with his plucked eyebrows, chiseled jaw and styled hair, a bit too young for the looks he was throwing my way. I had no issues with being a cougar, but there were lines I wouldn’t cross. He was one of them.

He flipped the towel in a dramatic fashion and I hid my snort. In a practiced move perfected by long nights with big tippers, he leaned over the bar onto his strong arms and batted his long lashes. He dipped his head slightly to the side and met my gaze. “Mama, what’s a pretty thing like you doing sitting at a bar alone?”

“Drinking. Strong, independent women are the new wave.” I scanned for a name tag and not at all over his uber-defined pecs. Tony grinned but leaned closer and crooked his finger for me to lean in. I wasn’t rude, so I appeased him.

“You must have a lot of confidence to sit alone.”

I tilted my head to the opposite angle and added a bit of attitude to my voice. “Incorrect. I have a lot of desire to drink alone.” I held up the glass. “Cheers, Tony.”

He got the hint and took his charm elsewhere. I closed my eyes and hummed in pleasure at the rich taste of Scottish whiskey and Drambuie. The honey and citrus combination almost calmed the nerves dancing around in my belly. Some people handled pressure fine. I did not. Stress began in my gut and spread throughout my limbs, making me second-guess every decision I had made regarding the event. Every decision. Like, why didn’t I order red polo shirts for the staff? Did I bring enough socks for the week?

Right, it didn’t matter. But my nerves got the better of me and whiskey was the answer to any question. I took another sip, the pain in my chest growing at the severity of my situation. I pinched the bridge of my nose, hoping to relieve some of my tension, but failed. I continued to replay my boss’s words. If I said them enough, then maybe they wouldn’t be true—if we didn’t make our threshold in revenue this year, then I wouldn’t have a job.

Being single at thirty-two when every goddamn person I knew had two-point-five kids and a house with four dogs and a partner was annoying. I loved my friends, coworkers, family—the whole lot of them. Even my younger brother who rarely showered had found a human who wanted to spend his life with him. I could handle their jabs about my personal life and if I was confused. But being single and unemployed was not a route I wanted to head down. Nope. No thank you.

It wasn’t as if I was awful or un-dateable. I took care of myself, ate healthily, worked out and had a normal amount of confidence and above-average conversational skills. I just didn’t like wasting time on small talk when I had to help run a multimillion-dollar Silvas car show. Ain’t no time for relationships when a wild ride in the sack suffices. Plus, why force a relationship if I knew it wasn’t going to work?

“You look like you’re trying to solve all the world’s problems,” someone said next to me. The voice was deep, a guttural masculine rhythm. It startled me a bit and I set my glass on the bar before giving the stranger my attention.

“Try again.”

“Excuse me?” His deep voice drew me in, instantly sending heat all the way down to my core. It made no sense to have this reaction to a voice, and I had to see if it matched his face.

I bit back a groan. It matched. Good god. Testosterone and sex just oozed off him in waves. Delicious waves. His jet-black hair went well with his soft hazel eyes and tan skin. Lines appeared on the edges around his eyes—a sign he lived a happy life. His jaw was sharp and defined, and his day-old beard didn’t hurt either. I grinned and adjusted my position to face him. His gaze moved from my face down to my legs. His nostrils flared twice and awareness burned through me while he continued his perusal back to my mouth.

Ten points to me for shaving and wearing the summer dress. Maybe it was the spark in his eyes that challenged me. Well, could be my feisty personality. But instead of going easy on the handsome man, I slowly ran my tongue over my teeth and tilted my head. “I said try again. That line you used is not original. I’ve heard it an obnoxious amount of times.”

He bit down on his bottom lip, doing nothing to hide his amusement. He raised his eyebrows and leaned an inch closer. “Do you find yourself at a bar alone drinking a gentleman’s drink often?” He transformed that smirk into a lazy smile that showcased two dimples. The goofy grin clashed with his broad shoulders and intimidating suit and tie but I sure as hell wasn’t complaining. Dimples were my kryptonite.

“I prefer to not classify drinks by gender. I drink what I like. We all should do what we like. Life is too short. But to answer your question, yes.”

He nodded and didn’t ask before sliding onto the bar stool next to me. His cologne teased me, the masculine scent like leather and mint and something…woodsy. I wanted to scoot closer and drag my fingers over his firm pecs, but refrained. I wasn’t sure I liked the guy, but my body didn’t care. He ordered an Old-Fashioned and winked when he held up his glass. “Clearly, we have great taste in drinks. To the whiskey of the world.”

We clinked glasses and he held my gaze throughout the entire sip. His throat moved and desire shot through me. It was such a simple gesture—a man taking a drink. But he did it so much better than all the other men I’d met at bars. He held it up, taking his time smelling the rich liquid, releasing a small moan. His long fingers made the glass seem so much smaller and ideas flew through my head as to what he could do with those hands… I cleared my throat and took another sip.

I didn’t have time for commitments of any kind, not with the Silvas car show lasting the next five days, but a fling with a stranger could help with the stress. It had been at least a month since I’d had an orgasm not produced by yours truly, and before I could rationalize my thoughts, my skin tingled in anticipation. I readjusted my legs, crossing the right over the left, and enjoyed his reaction. He followed the motion with his eyes and ran his tongue over his bottom lip, his mouth a little slack. Yeah, I had nice legs and was proud of it. I opened my mouth to speak but he beat me to it.

“You’re direct. I appreciate that.” He grinned again, the heat in his eyes unmistakable.

“Why waste time on small talk and fake conversations?” I pursed my lips at him and took my time studying every feature on his handsome face. The strong forehead, the slightly crooked nose, the dusting of gray around the temples giving him a beautiful silver fox look… My nipples tightened with need when he leaned closer—not enough to touch me, but enough for the air around us to ripple with tension. I ran a finger down my neck, drawing his attention to the low dip of my dress. He hummed in approval and I swore his cologne got stronger.

“Can I walk you back to your room when we finish our drinks? I know you’re independent, but I’d like to offer my help removing your dress.”

I smiled, held up my glass and downed the rest of the amber liquid. “How about I walk you back to your room and I help you remove your clothes?”

His eyes lit up with delight and he mirrored my action. Not two seconds later, our glasses were empty and I slid off the tall bar stool. He requested our drinks be charged to his room and he put his hand on my lower back to guide me toward the elevator. I was tall for a woman, two inches shy of six feet, but the handsome stranger still had half a foot over me. My limbs trembled at every small gesture. When he dug his fingers into my lower back, I felt it in my toes. He carefully brushed my hair off my shoulder and when the pads of his fingertips touched my skin, electrifying tingles broke out. My body was a puddle of hormones and lust.

“How long are you in town?” His throaty voice sent chills down my back as he pressed his lips against my ear. He had a commanding tone, strong and deep in timbre. I had no doubt he’d have a wildly successful career as a phone sex worker.

“Five more days,” I replied when the elevator doors pinged, announcing its arrival. My speech wasn’t recognizable with its hoarse tone. I cleared my throat. “You?”

“Same.”

The air stilled when the door shut. It was just the two of us in the small hotel elevator, my pulse racing as anticipation built inside me. My panties were soaked and I wanted nothing more than to have my way with the handsome stranger. “What floor should I push?”

“Tenth.” He brought his fingers to my neck and eased my long blonde hair off my shoulder. He trailed the delicate skin behind my ears, down my neck and the exposed part of my back. I shivered when he pressed his lips right where my spine met my neck. “Mm. Your skin is beautiful.”

He tightened his hold on my hips and pulled my back flush against him, his beard tickling me while he continued kissing tender parts of me. He brought one of his hands around and cupped my breast, pinching my taut nipple. “Braless?”

“It’s summer. Too hot to tame them.”

“Sexy. I love that.” He pressed the tip between his strong fingers and bit down on my ear just as the doors opened. “After you. Third door on the right.”

I strutted in front of him, ever so thankful for my long stride, and led us to his room. He didn’t rush, and my impatience grew. I was hot, horny and ready. He took his time getting out his key and slid his heated gaze my direction “What’s your name?”

“We don’t need to do this part, do we?” I tilted my head at the question. There were no misconceptions here. This was a hookup, a way to relieve stress and enjoy a hot night with a stranger. Names weren’t necessary.

“I want you screaming my name each time you come. So, yeah. We do need to do this.” His rough tone turned me on and my stomach swooped. “I’m Rylan.”

“Fern.”

His eyes twinkled and he repeated my name. I moaned at hearing it coming from his lips and he finally opened the door. He let me go in first but gave me no time to take in the surroundings. He picked me up, spreading my legs around his waist, and slammed my back into the door. Rough hands went around my hips and he brought his mouth to mine.

God, he kissed like a fucking summer storm. No warning. Aggressive. Powerful. Magical. The burn of the whiskey combined between us as we explored each other’s mouths. I arched my back when he bit down and sucked on my bottom lip. It gave me a moment to look into his eyes and the intensity there sent another wave of desire through me. It was electric.

Dirty. Animalistic.

I couldn’t satisfy my need to have him. I attacked his mouth, trying to taste all of him in that one kiss.

He groaned and brought a hand to my neck. He squeezed the skin where my collarbone met my shoulder and continued down my body until he got to my breasts. Without missing a beat, he brought his mouth down to my chest and pulled the fabric aside. His breathing got heavier with my breasts exposed, the hitch in his breath causing all sorts of sensations in my core. “Gorgeous. Just gorgeous.”

He sucked the sensitive nipple into his mouth, swirling his tongue around it. I jumped with pleasure and fisted his hair. “Yes, use your teeth.”

He hummed and bit down, mixing the point of pain and pleasure. He repeated the action on my other breast and I bucked against him. “I love your reactions.”

I used his break to slide down his body, enjoying his erection bursting to get out of his pants. Size was so not an issue. “Lose the clothes, Rylan.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He smiled and set me on the ground. It was a highly intimate moment between strangers, but I didn’t give two shits. My body was alive. I whipped off my dress and removed the thin black panties that were already ruined. I stood there, naked and needy, and admired the curves of his muscles. His pecs were defined, but his abs and arms were just as impressive. “I’m having a hard time focusing with your fine ass watching me, Fern.”

“I didn’t take you for needy,” I goaded him. His eyes changed from light to a darker hue, now almost green, and his arousal grew. Drunk on power, I undid his belt buckle and helped slide his slacks off. His cock sprang free and my core throbbed with need. I desperately wanted to feel all of him inside me, stretching me thin and making me forget my name.

“You’re licking your lips looking at my dick. My self-restraint only has so much control.” His voice came out huskier and I grinned.

“It’s a nice dick. I want to ride it.” I reached out and wrapped my fingers around it. I felt his heartbeat in his swollen cock, the head displaying a small bead of moisture. My hand almost covered half of it and I gave him a couple of pumps. He shook at my touch but I didn’t get more than ten strokes before he picked me up and tossed me onto the bed. “Woah!”

“You’re sexy as hell,” he said, his tone exciting me. His face had a predatory smile and I was into it. Really into it. He didn’t wait for me to respond before kissing and sucking the sensitive skin around my neck and down my ribcage. He brought his fingers to my clit and swirled around it, inserting two fingers inside me. “You’re soaked. All for me. Mm.”

“Go faster,” I said into his neck. The faint scent of sweat mixed with his cologne and it made me drunk. He finger-fucked me to the point I was desperate, seconds away from exploding, but he removed them. “I’m desperate. Don’t stop.”

“I can’t watch you scream my name like this.” He slid down the bed so he kneeled on the floor. I thought he was about to go down on me, but he spread my legs apart and used two hands. Ten digits. It was too much. My legs tightened. A burning hot wave of pleasure started in my clit and spread to my limbs. He increased the pressure on my swollen clit and explored the rest of my folds, letting me ride out the wave.

“Rylan, fuck. Yes!” I arched my back and screamed. My legs shook as the orgasm settled down, but he didn’t give me any time to recover.

“I can’t get enough of your reactions. You’re dynamite.”

“It’s your touch,” I replied but grabbed a pillow to muffle my response when he hovered over me and put his teeth down on my nipple. He used one hand to stroke me while giving me the perfect combination of pain and pleasure. He worked me right to the point where the teasing became too much, and I moaned when a second orgasm took control. I yanked his hair and dragged his face to mine, desperate to taste him again.

This kiss was just as aggressive, but there was warmth in his eyes when I glanced at him. Our bodies clung together, the heat building between us until a dull ache began in my core. I wanted all of him. Reading my needy moans, he pressed one last kiss on my lips before getting off the bed. He sheathed himself in a condom from his wallet and gave me a long look. “You’re sure?”

A part of me appreciated the gesture, the last question. But my pussy throbbed and I was going to die if he didn’t enter me soon. “One thousand percent. Get inside me, Rylan.”

His grin was the perfect answer. He held on to my hips and thrust into me in one swift motion. I swore I saw stars. I gripped the sheets around us while he groaned in pleasure. It was intoxicating, knowing he enjoyed it. But the position wasn’t doing enough for me. I motioned for him to go to his back and he obeyed.

“God, you’re a sight Fern,” he breathed. His voice dropped an octave lower, his pupils almost blocking out the green orbs. I slid down onto his cock, releasing a long growl when he stretched me further than I had been in a long while. “Jesus, you feel amazing.”

I grinned and pushed his hands above his head, pinning them down. I rocked my hips, perfected by years of doing Zumba, and he lost control. He slammed his mouth to mine, our teeth clashing as I rode him. Our bodies blended into one and sweat dripped down my spine. He broke free of my restraint and squeezed my ass.

A third orgasm was close. I could feel it, my stomach muscles clenching when we found our rhythm. He read me like a goddamn book and brought his thumb to my clit. I dug my nails into his firm skin and quickened my pace, leaning forward. The pressure was perfect and I clung to him, screaming his name, riding out the orgasm. He tightened his hold on my hips when he tensed.

“Say my name when you come, Rylan,” I commanded with the little voice I still had. His eyes lit up and he obliged. My name left his lips as he did three final thrusts before the sexiest sound came from his mouth. It was a growl and a moan and fuck if I didn’t want to keep it.

“Christ,” he said between pants. “Incredible.”

He picked me up like I weighed nothing—and I was a curvy woman—and set me on the bed next to him. He patted my ass and gave me a swift kiss on the shoulder. “Let me clean up. Stay put.”

I always appreciated hook-ups where the stranger gave me the needed recovery time. I could catch my breath without worrying about what was next. My body was flushed, my legs shaking from the strong orgasms. I didn’t have time to get up before he came out of the bathroom and plopped back on the bed.

“You can stay if you’d like.” He leaned on his elbow and my heart lurched. He looked so perfect with his lone curl escaping in the front. I never stayed but I almost thought about it with him. Almost.

“Can’t. I have a huge event tomorrow. My job may or may not be on the line.”

“I have every confidence in you.”

“Thanks, handsome.” I re-dressed quickly, forgoing my panties. The stress of the event came back despite the three orgasms and I gave Rylan one more glance. “You know…I wouldn’t be opposed doing this again while you’re in town.”

His entire face lit up in a grin and he grabbed a hotel key from his nightstand. “Five more nights here. Come in any time after nine.”

“Awful trusting of you, just meeting me,” I said, looking at the white key card in my hand. The gesture moved me…it was too trusting. But I couldn’t stop the excitement at the thought of seeing him again.

“Sweetheart, I’ve just been inside you and made you scream my name three times. I’m game if you are, but the ball’s in your court.” He relaxed into his pillows, his entire body loose and on display.

I licked my lips and gave him another glance. “Then I guess we’ll see what happens.”

“Can’t wait.”

Then I left the amazing specimen of a man in the room and went to obsess over the car show that could very well be my last one.