hrough the haze of sleep and cheap whiskey like a laser. She groan

es fle

s waist. In a flash, the events of the previous night crashed over her like a bucket of ice water. The

. The

sex. A complete stran

abruptly, her head spinning. As she did, her gaze landed

15

, the sound loud in

less than two hours. If she m

get out o

clothes like a madwoman, finding her skirt draped over a velvet chair and her blouse crumpled near the door. Sh

l clasp popped open. She didn't notice the small plastic card-her airline

rm flung over his face, his dark hair messy against the white pillow. He

bbed her heels and fled, pulling the heavy door shut with a soft click. She di

h a vicious hangover, her swollen, red-rimmed eyes hidden behind oversized sunglasses. She clutched her

A guard said, his vo

er lanyard. Her han

th

dug through it. Lipstick, wallet,

I

a second," she muttered, pulling the bag open wider. She fra

as g

thinning. "I need your airline ID to clear you thr

face flushing hot. Panic clawed at her chest, mak

s face an impassive wall. "You'll have to go to the admi

shuttle ride away. It would take at least an hour. This w

es. She pulled out her phone, her hands shaking uncontr

Miss Carr?

s jogging up to the checkpoint, slightly out of breath. He was ho

im, then at the c

, lunging forward

this off at the VIP desk. He saw the Aura Airlines logo and told me to run it

und the plastic. It was still warm. "Which gentlem

intimidating. Wearing a custom suit, looked like he owned the airport. He

her chest. She looked down at her own f

le pro

. He had found it, figured out her flight schedule, and per

lars a night didn't do favors. He did transactions. He should have taken th

the guard asked, interrup

sliding the lanyard arou

es on the tarmac outside. She had paid for a night of mindless distraction, but

s he,