Her Accidental Lover Read online

  Evernight Publishing

  www.evernightpublishing.com

  Copyright© 2012 London Saint James

  ISBN: 978-1-77130-149-7

  Cover Artist: Sour Cherry Designs

  Editor: Melissa Hosack

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  DEDICATION

  We never know when love may find us, but when it does, hold on tight.

  XoXo

  London

  HER ACCIDENTAL LOVER

  Romance on the Go

  London Saint James

  Copyright © 2012

  “There’s nowhere you can be that isn’t where you’re meant to be…”

  John Lennon

  Chapter One

  My cell phone buzzed and skittered across the top of my coffee table. I grabbed it up and tapped the message icon on my phone, expecting it to be from my best friend, Sabrina, or my mother.

  Do you like foreign films, classics, romance, or action adventure? Flyboy23

  I frowned. First, I had no idea who Flyboy23 was, and second, it was strange that the obviously misplaced text was asking this particular question on a day that I was actually home, cuddled up on my couch watching movies.

  I typed…

  Who is this?

  I read the response.

  Flyboy23

  I stared at the 2x3 screen, baffled.

  I don’t know a Flyboy23

  I pressed send, and expected the texts to stop. They didn’t.

  You know me, Angel.

  I blinked, re-read the text, and pondered the possibilities of who Flyboy23 could be. I got up from my comfortable spot, and meandered into the kitchen. I’d barely opened the refrigerator and snagged a Coke when my phone buzzed again.

  Where were you the other night, Angel?

  Angel? Perhaps it was Allan, my ex, trying to weasel his way back into my good graces. He always called me Angel, and we did make plans to discuss mutual custody of our cocker spaniel, Willie. Allan bought Willie on a whim. I fell in love with Willie. Can’t say the same for Allan. As a penalty for loving Willie, and Allan being the prick that he is, he took Willie with him when he moved out. And Allan being Allan, blew off our meeting to discuss my visitation. I wanted more than one weekend a month with Willie. So why’s he asking where I was?

  I typed out my response in a huff.

  You blew me off.

  I was puzzled by the whole exchange. Why was Allan using Flyboy23 as a name, and why was the phone number attached to the text blocked?

  My phone vibrated in my hand.

  What?

  My eyes narrowed. Allan knew good and well, what. My fingers typed quickly.

  Willie.

  I took a sip of my Coke, steaming. Allan was such an ass.

  Willie?

  I read his response and wanted to pull my hair out. I typed.

  Knock it off. If you don’t want to man up then fine.

  I punched the send icon a bit too hard.

  Not Willie. Flyboy23, and I’d be happy to man up.

  I read the text and shook my head. Either I was talking to a stranger or Allan was up to his usual tricks. If I had to place a bet, Allan was up to something. What exactly, I didn’t know.

  All right, Flyboy23.

  A few minutes passed. I figured the text war was done, so when my phone buzzed again, I was a bit surprised.

  Chocolate or vanilla cake?

  I giggled. What an odd question. Perhaps this wasn’t Allan. I replied.

  Chocolate everything!

  What was I doing? I really didn’t know.

  I received another message and considered not reading it. I should stop this, turn off my phone, and go back to being a frumpy, lazy, couch potato. It had been a stressful week, and I earned my day in pajamas, eating junk food, and zoning out into never, never, land with 24 hours of nonstop romance movies, but…

  If you could go anywhere in the world where would it be?

  I typed one word.

  Greece

  I pressed send, and didn’t wait long before the next text arrived.

  Coke or Pepsi?

  I smiled at no one. Then I got spooked for a moment. I was in the kitchen, Coke on the countertop. Just a coincidence. Besides, Allan would know my preference for Coke.

  I typed my response.

  Coke, but it’s not good for you.

  I hit send, erased all my messages, turned off my phone, and returned to my weekend movie marathon.

  When Monday morning arrived, I was running late. I twisted my long, inky-black hair up into a clip, slipped on my tan straight-cut skirt with a sensible cream colored blouse, and made a b-line for the door. I had a new client to see this morning. What kind of an impression would it make to have the newly appointed Director of Logistics for S.Y.N.D. International late to a meeting with one of the biggest manufacturers in Phoenix?

  Before I entered my car I heard the ping emanate from inside my purse. When I turned it on this morning, I’d change the ring tone from a vibration to a sound. I rummaged around in my bag, located my phone, and looked at the little icon that indicated I had a text. With a hesitant finger, I tapped the screen.

  Cheese or pepperoni?

  Silk or cotton?

  Toast, waffles, or pancakes?

  “He’s killing me,” I said and laughed out loud.

  My snoopy neighbors Ben and Vivian were out, more than likely partaking in Monday morning gossip, talking over the fence to each other. They both glanced in my direction, and probably thought I was insane since I was talking and chuckling to no one while standing in my driveway, but what the heck. Vivian’s front yard is overrun with bright and cheerful gnomes, and aging, self-proclaimed playboy Ben wears nothing but a form fitting Speedo to mow his lawn. Yikes!

  I threw caution to the wind and typed.

  You are persistent. To your first question, pepperoni. To your second, silk. To your third, pancakes.

  My week flew by, but when you work twelve and thirteen hour days, it tends to do that. My new position for S.Y.N.D. International had its perks. Nonetheless it also caused havoc with my ability to do anything other than work. I’d become sort of a working recluse. I suppose on some level I like it. No time for men or the disappointment they bring. Yet on the other hand, my crazy gal pal outings with Sabrina, and my visits to see my mom were becoming too short and far between.

  The only good thing I had going on in my personal life, was my Flyboy23. It’s strange. The more and more we “talked,” the more I knew deep down inside this wasn’t Allan, but that didn’t stop me from perusing this odd, undoubtedly dead-end, could I even call it a relationship?

  By the second week of texting we’d moved on from asking what seemed like insubstantial questions of each other to deeper, more intimate questions. I knew he hadn’t dated anyone seriously for two years. And I told him I’d ended a relationship over eight months ago with a one-time co-worker. I explained the dangers of dipping ones pen into the office ink. He responded with a, “L.M.A.O.” and gave me his own horror story. If this were Allan, he played along. Maybe he wanted to see what I had to really say about him, if he thought I thought he was the mystery man, Flyboy23.

  The third week we talked about movies, music, and books. He liked science fiction movies. I loved romance. Our taste in musi
c matched. Both eclectic. And our book preferences were fairly close. I told him about a new Tom Clancy book I’d read. He knew the one I was talking about, because he’d read it too.

  Week four led me into a whole new realm. Sexting. And textsex was hot, but my fingers were feeling the wear of typing, and touching myself. By week four, we also described what we looked like. If Flyboy23 was being honest, I gained my confirmation. It wasn’t Allan. Flyboy23’s attributes didn’t match. Allan was blond. Flyboy23 had dark brown hair. Allan hated to work out, and Flyboy23 spent a lot of time working on his “guns” in a gym. When I told him I was full-figured, I assumed, incorrectly, I’d never hear from him again, but when he “said” he liked a well-rounded woman, and wanted something to hold onto, he’d come to the right place, cause baby’s got back.

  Week five had us agreeing to meet each other. I knew I’d lost any semblance of good judgment when I put in for a few well-earned vacation days from work, but my sexting partner was too good to be true, someone I was never expecting to meet, and the one person that I needed to see. I toyed with the notion of fate then laughed the thought away. I wasn’t one of those happily ever after women, was I? I told myself I needed to be sensible. We’d probably meet, and he’d be disappointed. The fantasy in flesh isn’t as great as the fantasy of the mind. No one finds their happily ever after by accident.

  When I signed my name at the bottom of S.Y.N.D. International’s PTO slip, the old saying my grandmother use to quote popped into my head. Nothing ventured. Nothing gained.

  Chapter Two

  It was the longest cab ride of my life. Everything that could go wrong did go wrong. My first cab experienced mechanical problems so I was forced to change cabs, then found myself caught in traffic due to an overturned semi. I regretted my decision to leave my car at Sabrina’s house. I kept checking my phone, and began to actually panic as I watched the time tick away.

  When I’d left Sabrina’s it was 9:42 p.m. More than enough time to get where I needed to go, and then some, but I glared at 10:48 p.m…. 10:50 p.m…. 10:53 p.m…. The cab finally began to move again. We made it a few feet then traffic slowed to a crawl before we outright stopped.

  “Shit,” I said, surprised to hear myself.

  “Sorry,” the driver replied. He looked like an 80’s version of David Lee Roth, having a bad hair day with his long blond locks needing a dye job at the roots, and a good clipping off of all the rough, split ends.

  “It’s not your fault, but do you know any way around this mess?”

  “Nope. We’re pretty much stuck, lady.”

  I stared at my phone. 11:00 p.m. I typed a quick text.

  Flyboy23. I’m caught in traffic. I promise I’m coming.

  The cab started to move, making some progress, slowly.

  My phone pinged.

  I just got in. My flight to Phoenix was late, and there was no cell service. Catching a cab now, and thinking of nothing but

  you. And by the way, my name is Evan Trent.

  I smiled and typed…

  I’m thinking of nothing but you. Sloan Parker.

  The cab stopped again. 11:23 p.m…. 11:30 p.m…. We moved a few more feet. The cabby cranked up a song. It blared over the speakers. He started head banging and playing air guitar. 11:49 p.m….

  My phone pinged. I pressed the message icon.

  Where are you?

  I typed my reply.

  Still caught in traffic with a cab driver playing air guitar and head banging to Alice in Chains! Where are you?

  I pressed send. Then I waited for Evan’s response.

  The cab rolled forward a few more feet.

  Just a couple of miles from the Biltmore, and still thinking of you. I’ve decided my texting error was the best thing I’ve ever done. It brought me to you. FYI: Alice in Chains Rocks. What song?

  I chuckled and typed…

  Check My Brain.

  Evan responded.

  Good song, and actually fitting, Sloan Parker! I image we are crazy. Who meets this way?

  He was right. We were crazy.

  I agree. Who meets this way?

  11:56 p.m. and the cab gained some speed. I watched out the window as the lines on the side of the highway sped up, and the cars in front and in back of us were actually moving too. Finally.

  12:13 a.m. I typed.

  Just a few minutes away now.

  I held the phone like it was made of gold.

  Evan sent his response.

  I’m waiting for you at the front entrance.

  My heart raced. If I could, I would have jumped out of the cab and ran the rest of the way, but that was a crazy, spur of the moment thought. Not mention a bad idea since the cab, even going at a snail’s pace moved faster than I could run.

  When the Biltmore came into view I saw him. Standing right where he said he would be. I pulled a few bills out of my wallet, threw them up to the cab driver and said, “Keep the change.”

  “Hey, thanks,” he replied. I grabbed the handle on the door, scooped up my bag, and darted out of the cab that had been my confinement.

  I ran toward Evan.

  His face beamed. He was tall, dark, handsome, and completely sexy, wearing the uniform of a US Airways pilot. He moved forward, catching me in his arms as I dropped my bag to the ground and flung myself into him.

  I wrapped my arms around his neck. He smelled scrumptious. I placed my mouth to his ear and whispered, “My Flyboy23.”

  There, standing in the front of the Biltmore, lights shimmering in the clear Arizona night, my Flyboy’s mouth found mine. We kissed as though it was our last day on earth. My head spun like a top. My stomach did summersaults. And I felt my arms shaking, but I held on.

  “God.” Evan exhaled when we finally unlocked our mouths from one another. “I have wanted nothing but this.”

  We continued to kiss, his exquisite mouth molded to mine, the warmth of his hands burning through the material of my clothing and setting my skin on fire.

  “Evan,” I mumbled against his lips, “maybe we should go inside?”

  We kissed some more.

  “Sloan?” Evan’s warm breath filled my mouth. He pulled his lips centimeters from mine.

  “Yes?” I breathed.

  “I’m going to put you down. Then we’re going to go inside.”

  Our tongues tangled and danced. Our breathing timed to each other. Evan finally un-clasped his death grip around my waist. He slid me down his well-formed body until my feet hit the ground. Evan was tall. I glanced up to look into his face. He leaned down and kissed me once more. My body melted into him. His hands cupped my ass.

  “Evan,” I whispered against his chin. “Let’s go in.”

  He nodded. He took a hold of my hand, firmly and without hesitation. “Let’s go.”

  “Hang on. My bag.” I bent down to pick it up. He took both bags, mine and his, into his left hand. His right hand took my left. He intertwined his fingers through mine, and we walked through the doors of the Biltmore.

  Evan never let go of my hand as he checked in. He never let go of my hand as we walked to the suite. We stood quite for a moment, outside the door. He balanced the two bags then slipped the card key through the security lock. The light on the lock turned from red to green. He opened the door.

  “Hold up,” Evan said. He let loose of my hand, threw the bags into the room, held the door open with his foot, and then swooped me up into his arms. I wasn’t a skinny little gal, but he handled me as if I weighted nothing.

  I giggled when he cradled me to his chest and carried me over the threshold. When the door closed behind us, Evan’s mouth was on mine, again. We kissed as he carried me.

  “Wait,” he said. He stared at me, his eyes the color of turquoise. “I don’t know where the bedroom is.” We both glanced around the suite.

  “It’s got to be over there,” I said, pointing toward the back of the large living room.

  We walked around the bar, past two bulky leather chairs, and th
rough the door to our left. In front of us was a huge bed. I glanced from the bed to his face. “Evan,” I said. “I’m going to make love to you now.”

  Chapter Three

  “Wake up my emerald-eyed goddess.”

  I heard Evan’s voice at my ear. My eyelids fluttered open.

  Evan was spooning me, my body warm against his.

  He called me a goddess. This made me smile. It was something no one had ever called me. “Evan. My Flyboy23,” I said.

  “Good morning,” he replied.

  “Good morning,” I said.

  He kissed my cheek and got out of bed.

  “Hey, where are you going?”

  Evan chuckled. He tugged off the sheet that covered me and scooped me up into his arms in one swift movement. It was almost disorientating since I’d barely opened my eyes. “I thought you might enjoy a hot bubble bath,” he commented as he carried me into the bathroom.

  I noticed he’d already filled the oversized tub with bubbles. “You’ve been busy this morning.”

  “A little bit,” he replied in his low, husky voice. He put me down.

  I was standing there completely naked.

  He was shirtless and wearing some cotton boxer briefs.

  “No fair. You’re wearing briefs.”

  Evan gave me a slow, easy smile then stripped them off. “No one ever said we can’t take a bath together.” He took my hand and helped me into the tub before he followed in behind me.

  I inched down into the hot water, bubbles overtaking my flesh. “Ah…” I moaned at the lovely sensation.

  Evan pressed his splendid mouth to my neck. “You are sexy as hell.”

  I leaned my back against his broad, hard chest and rested my head against his left shoulder, sitting snuggled up between his legs. “I doubt I’m sexy, but this is heaven.”

  “It is heaven, and you are sexy. Never doubt it.”

  We were quiet, soaking together in the warmth for several minutes. Then Evan did something that took me by surprise. He grabbed the large sea sponge, dipped it into the water, held it out over my face, and slowly squeezed the water out. It drenched my skin, falling like rain and weaved down the curve of my neck, my chest, and then battered the bubbles in the tub, popping some of them.