I slowly pry my eyes open feeling the sunshine on my face. A lazy smile spreads over me. I stretch my body out feeling the softness of the sheets and the very comfortable pillow supporting my head. But the smiley effects wear off fast and I instantly freeze. I suddenly realise I’m not at home. I’m not in my bed. Memories of the night before come flooding back. Jase. Me. Naked.
Oh god. Please tell me it didn’t happen.
I slowly get up and turn over. Jase isn’t next to me. I grab the robe that’s lying on a chair beside the bed and slowly drape it over me and tie up tightly. I check my phone and see 14 missed calls from Mel and five text messages.
1:20 am: Babe are you okay, I have your keys. Shit I’m so sorry. Call me ASAP ill meet you
1:45am: Sophie, are you okay? Damn it woman answer your phone
2:10am Okay seriously, I’m going to call the police. I’m fucking worried can you please just at least text me back.
3:00 am: I tried calling Emmanuel; we’re both worried as fuck. God damn it Sophie, CALL ME.
I immediately text her back.
I’m fine. Sorry I didn’t check my phone. Jase let me stay with him for the night. I’m fine. All is good. I’ll come past Nate’s place ASAP and grab my keys.
Two seconds later, Mel responds:
Whhhhhhhaaaaaattttt?!!! JASE? Be there in an hour. Nearly had a search party looking for you. Fuck. Glad you’re okay.
Ha. If only she knew.
I ever so slowly open the bedroom doors and I see Jase. He’s already managed to have a shower. He’s sitting watching TV, oblivious to the fact that I’m standing behind him. I don’t even know what to say to him. He probably wants me gone.
As soon as that thought creeps into my mind, my walls go up. I bury my emotions deep down. It was one night, I tell myself. I didn’t sleep with him. I’ll never see him again. I’m not attached to him. I’ll be okay.
I decide that I’ll just tell him I’ll jump in the shower and he can drop me back to mine.
“Um hey. Sorry I didn’t know your were up. I’m just going to have a quick shower. Do you mind if we can swing past Nate’s place to grab my keys so I can get home?”
Jase slowly turns his head towards me. Eyeing me up and down.
“Sure thing. I bought you some shorts and top from gift shop so you’d have something to wear out of here. I left them in the bathroom while you were asleep.”
He bought me clothes?
Even if it was as simple as making sure I had clothes, the thought warms me. But I instantly push them back down. Walls. I can’t make this anything more than one night.
“You didn’t have to do that. But thankyou. Let me know how much it all was and I will give you the money,” I reply.
“Don’t even worry about it,” he says politely.
Without saying anything more I turn back around and head into the shower where I find out some hotel mini shorts, and a plain white tank. I wash my body rigorously remembering how he came on my chest. I lather up the bodywash and scrub myself clean from head to toe. I quickly throw on the shorts and tee and gather my things before heading back out to see Jase.
He doesn’t say anything as he looks my body up and down hungrily. Something dark glazes over his eyes. I don’t know what to say.
“Before I take you home, let’s go and have breakfast. You must be hungry. I can’t let you go without feeding you,” he says smiling.
“Um okay sure. Breakfast then home. Sounds good,” I reply shyly.
He just smirks at me.
We wordlessly make our way outside the hotel, and down to the pool to eat, and I suddenly feel Jase’s hands entwine in mine. I don’t want to make a big deal out of it, so I don’t remove my hand and I don’t say anything about it.
A girl with the shortest white skirt and blond long flowing hair with legs that go on for days approaches us with menus. She gives Jase a flirtatious smile and me a filthy look.
What the hell?
“Hi Jase,” she says a little too personally.
“Can I get you anything to drink before you order?” she says as if she knows Jase forever.
“I’ll have coffee thanks Tracey. Soph, what would you like?”
Before I can think anymore at how he knows her name and why she’s acting so possessive over him I tell her I’ll just have OJ.
As she walks away, Tracey turns back and gives Jase a wink.
No doubt Jase has bedded Tracey. Probably in the same bed I was in. Saying the same things he said to me. My stomach churns at that though. Already I feel used. And stupid. Of course he’s probably slept with all the workers here.
“She seems to know you quite well,” I blurt out. Fuck it, I’m pissed. I don’t care if I sound jealous. I’ll never see the bastard again.
“Is someone jealous?” he says teasingly.
How this man infuriates me and turns me on at the same time really baffles me.
“Just saying, you seem pretty popular,” I say laughing it off.
Jase rests his hand on my thigh and squeezes it gently before turning to face me and giving me one of his drool-worthy smiles. “I never intended for last night to go the way it did, but I’m glad it did Sophie.”
I don’t know how to respond, it was only meant to be a one night thing. I don’t want it progressing anymore. But my body betrays me as I start to get hot just thinking about last night.
“So I want to make good on my promise and take you out on a proper date,” he continues.
Tracey happens to drop by with our drinks and brushes her hand across Jase’s arm before leaving.
Just another reminder of why Jase is not someone to be getting involved with. Well not with my heart anyway.
I push Jase’s hand off me. “I…I don’t know,” I stammer feeling caught off guard. “I don’t know if this is something we should continue. It was one night. Let’s just leave it at that,” I say.
My words are a total lie. I want to have another night with Jase; I want to have way more than one night with Jase. But he will break my heart. Just like Steve. And that’s the reason I need to stay away.
I turn to face him, showing him that I’m confident in my decision. He on the other hand gives me a killer smile, as if I just said something funny.
“I don’t think one night was enough for me Sophie. I will see you again. Whether you want to or not,” he says with finality.
I don’t dare to contest his words.