Ultimate Passage: New Beginnings: Box Set ( Books 1-4) by Elle Thorne Page B

were okay.” He pushed the door all the way open. “You were under the weather.”
    Marissa fought back a laugh at that understatement and at the same time prayed that she hadn’t acted stupid, that she hadn’t done anything embarrassing. And, in the same breath, she fought the urge to stare at him. His hair was tousled. His face had that just right amount of scruff that would leave red marks on her thighs while he—
    God. Stop this train of thought. Right now, Marissa Sanchez. Right this moment!
    His eyes... Dark, black, the iris and pupils merging into one mysterious black hole that threatened to suck her in.
    He was shirtless and had a huge tattoo of a winged—what was that?—on his huge bicep.
    Stop. Immediately.
    But she didn’t want to stop. She looked out the window, looked at anything she could to keep from looking at this man in rumpled clothes, the man with the bedroom eyes that she wanted to dive into.
    “What? What were you saying?” She’d completely lost track of what he’d said.
    A glimmer of amusement crinkled his eyes. “I was saying I hope you feel better. I’ll get you breakfast if you like. I presume a lady who owns a restaurant would have a stocked pantry.”
    He would lose that bet for the most part, but the part that got her was, how did he know she owned a restaurant? Quit being paranoid, Marissa. You probably told him last night, while you were too busy drowning your problems instead of handling them. Or Belle could have.
    “Belle! Shit.” Marissa jumped up. “Two West Two. Oh God. I’m such an idiot.” She’d left and... who had run the shift? Who had managed the restaurant? God, she was pathetic. Then she noticed her breasts bouncing in her tee. Her bra? What had happened to it? She didn’t usually take it off. Where? Ah, there it was, at the foot of the bed. She looked away so Finn wouldn’t catch her looking, and she crossed her arms so he wouldn’t notice the bouncing her breasts were doing when she hurled herself up out of the bed.
    Then it hit her: Two West Two was going to close in ten days anyway. What did one shift matter? It wasn’t like it was a legacy that she was leaving behind. It would soon be nothing, less than a memory. She turned away so Finn wouldn’t see the tears in her eyes.
    “Hey.”
    “Yeah.” She tried to keep from sounding like she was crying.
    His arms were on her shoulders, pulling her close, swiveling her to face him. “Belle called. I answered your phone. Hope that was okay. She said she ran the shift and that everything went smoothly. She said you’re closed today? Every Sunday and Monday? Is that correct?”
    “Yeah. And it was pathetically irresponsible for me to do what I did last night. Uncalled for.”
    “Based on what I heard from Belle, I’d say, very called for. You’re human, after all.” His tone had an oddness to it when he said that. “Do you have a plan?”
    “I guess I’ll put the restaurant supplies and equipment in an auction to see if I can’t raise some money. It won’t be enough to open up another one, but it’ll give me some money to live on until I find another job.”
    “Why don’t you get back in bed? I’ll get breakfast and coffee. How do you take it?”
    “Cream, lots of it. No sugar. But you don’t have to.” She made to pull away from his hold, but his grasp was firm, not overly so, not forcing her, but like he was a rock she could hold on to.
    Then he was gone, and she was alone in her bedroom, and suddenly it felt like the loneliest place in the world. Since when did this guy matter? Since when did his leaving a room leave her empty? What had happened last night? Surely nothing.
    She looked at her bra. She usually slept with it on. It was more comfortable that way. She picked it up. Still damp. She didn’t need to put it under her nose to smell the reek of vomit.
    Must have taken it off because it was wet and filthy. Had to be.
    But still a part of her wondered, even wished. Wow, you do sound