Tyson thanks him, then turns and walks back to the bar.
“Are you sure he doesn’t fancy you?” Ian asks as he gives me the water.
“He one hundred percent doesn’t fancy me,” I say, charmed by the expression. “He’s just a bit overprotective.”
Ian raises his eyebrows and says, “And you’ve never been together?”
“Never,” I say. “Not once.”
“Hmm,” he says, smirking at me. “He’s a better man than me.”
I look at Ian, thinking, Well, duh. Tyson is better than everyone.
—
By the time we leave, I’ve had a test run with Ian, making out with him in a dark corner of the bar. He’s a good kisser, more than meeting my expectations. As the guys hail us a cab, I tell Hannah that I think we should both go back to their hotel with them.
She gives me an uncertain look.
“You don’t like him?”
“I haven’t decided,” she says.
“Could’ve fooled me,” I say with a laugh. “C’mon, Han. Tyson will give me shit if I try to go there without you.”
Hannah nods and says okay.
But when we pull up to our hotel, I feel that damn pull again. As Tyson gets out of the taxi, I suddenly change my mind. All I want to do is follow him.
I say good night, quickly jumping out of the car.
—
When I catch up with Tyson in the lobby, he seems nonplussed. I do my best to get a reaction from him on the elevator, but it doesn’t work, and as we walk back into our room, Tyson informs me that he’s going to take a shower.
I raise my eyebrows and smile. “A cold shower?”
“No, Lainey,” he says slowly, like he’s speaking to a child. “A regular one.”
I kick off my wedges, watching as he pulls a pair of basketball shorts and an old UVA T-shirt out of his duffel, then heads toward the bathroom.
“Leave the door unlocked in case I need to get in there,” I call after him.
He mumbles okay, and a second later, I hear the door shut and the shower turn on.
Feeling antsy, I connect my Spotify to the speaker in the room, looking for something to set the right mood. I go with Noah Kahan, then open the balcony doors, inhaling the scent of the sea.
Meanwhile, I try to gauge my buzz. I still feel it, but it’s starting to fade, so I head over to the minibar, open an airplane-size bottle of vodka, and take a long swig. Better, I think, then figure I might as well finish it.
I take the last swallow, then reach around to unzip my dress. After stepping out of it, I take off my strapless bra and thong, debating what to put on. I select a short black nightgown that I think will get Tyson’s attention but then decide I’d like a quick shower, too.
I walk over to the bathroom, open the door, and say, “You almost done in there?”
“Yeah,” Tyson yells back. “Give me two minutes.”
“Okay,” I say, glancing at the glass shower door, now completely fogged by steam.
I stand there, leaning naked against the sink, waiting for him to come out and see me. I know he’ll accuse me of being an exhibitionist—which I guess I kind of am.
Then, suddenly, I get a better idea. Am I bold enough to do it? Of course I am. I never back down from a dare, even if it’s one I invent for myself. I take a deep breath, then open the shower door just wide enough to slip through. I step in and meet his gaze. Shock value at its finest. I wait for a reaction, but he just stands there calmly holding my gaze in what feels like an R-rated game of chicken.
“Was I really taking that long?” he asks, his eyes fixed on mine. He’s clearly determined not to look down, and I admire his discipline.
“Kind of,” I say with a smirk, watching the water run over his shoulders and chest.
“So do you want me to get out?” he asks, blinking, then pointing toward the only exit route from the shower—which I’m currently blocking.
Suddenly, I’m speechless. Inexplicably so. I swallow, then manage to shake my head.
“Is that a no?”
“Yes, it’s a no,” I say. “I don’t want you to get out.”
“Okay, then,” he says, staring back at me. “What are you doing here, exactly?”
His expression is impossible to read. It could be anything from pissed to annoyed to bored to amused. He might even be turned on, but that feels like a long shot given that he’s still not lowering his eyes.
I stand there, now not only speechless but flustered.
