CHAPTER 3

(flashback)

When the door opened and he entered, I took a deep breath and pressed the button to go down to the seventh floor. When I saw him again, my eyes widened in surprise. I should have done it sooner, but flirting with a man was easier said than done! I may have a few bottles of liquor but I was focused on my goal; to test my charms with a man I saw earlier.

 His name was Jacob Summers, and he has been my long-time crush since I was young. Unfortunately, he has a bad reputation. He’s a womanizer who loved to sleep with several women. As a woman with strong confidence, I had this dream of taming the playboy from the Dark Furs. Earlier, I noticed how many times he stole a glance at me, and he was so cute at that moment.

 I knew that it was a risky thing to do, but for once, I wanted to do something exciting! Anyway, my father was busy doing a conference with various leaders of other packs. It’s for the peace agreement, but I insisted on going with you to the hotel. I lied about craving something good that only the hotel could provide, and since I announced my wishes to join him while he was talking with his friends, he didn’t dare to refuse. Although he gave me a stern warning to behave while he was in a meeting, I had no plan to abide by the rules.

Before the conference, I already talked with some of my friends and convinced them to visit me at the hotel at night. It was known that the hotel has a lot to offer, and there were bars too. Of course, I have never been to a bar, or to any drinking session because my father wouldn’t allow it. As Roger Middleton’s daughter, I should behave at all times, but sometimes, it got boring!

"Hello," he said with a smile.

It was just a simple greeting, but the prospect of being confined in a small space excited me for reasons I couldn't explain and I replied nervously. “Hi. Going down?”

"Yes," he replied, grinning at me as he checked the numbers. "So we're all going to the same floor," he noticed.

“Are you sure? Wow, what a coincidence," I said, trying to gather my thoughts as my heart was overwhelmed by his attractive smile and cute dimples. When he grinned at me, I was on the verge of collapsing to the floor. Earlier, I was unable to flirt with him as planned because I was terrified of the way he looked into my eyes.

"Are you with friends or a boyfriend?” He inquired casually.

"No, I'm alone," I said, shaking my head. "Why do you ask?"

"Hmmm, I noticed you staring earlier, and correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe you want to be with me tonight."

I narrowed my eyes at him and smiled at his candor. "I apologize if you caught me staring at you earlier. It was my fault," I admitted, to which he nodded.

The elevator then came to a halt, and some women entered, so I didn't have time to explain further. The next stop was on the seventh floor, and we exchanged smiles as we exited the elevator.

"Does your boyfriend have a room in the hotel?"

He dared to inquire again, probably checking if I lied earlier, and I scowled at him because he had no right to inquire about my personal life. “I clearly told you that I’m alone,” I insisted, and he lifted the tip of his eyebrows in response. “Why? Can’t a woman be alone in a hotel?”

"Not really, but it's unusual," he responded with a smirk.

"It may seem unusual, but whenever I have free time, I usually come here to unwind," I lied.

"I see," he said with a nod of his head. "My name is Jacob Summers. What about yours?"

"Bethany," I replied because I didn't see why I shouldn't give him my name. Of course, it wasn’t complete, but he didn’t ask for my full name.  He just nodded his head and smiled. Oh God, those dimples were definitely my downfall!

"See you around, Bethany. For now, good night, and I hope you will have some sweet dreams later.”

"Good night," I said and was surprised when he went to the door next to mine. For a moment, I wondered if the rumors about him were true or not. If he was really a womanizer, then he wouldn’t waste the golden opportunity to have me. Or maybe, I wasn’t his type.

Seriously? No, I refused to acknowledge the possible reason why he didn’t hit on me. My friends said that I was the most beautiful woman in Dark Furs, and there were several young men who had a crush on me. Maybe, he was only playing hard to get, right? I decided to let it rest, and if Jacob Summers was truly a playboy, he knew we are on the same floor, and we were neighbors.

Before opening the door to my room, I chuckled at the turn of events. I decided to check my phone as soon as I got inside, and as expected, I received several text messages from my friends. I took a deep breath before sending my response. I just told them that I got a terrible headache and was in need of rest. They didn’t question me anymore, and then I heard them giggling. Maybe, they saw a cute guy coming toward their table.

I took a quick shower to freshen up, but instead of wearing my nightdress, I opted for something comfier. Actually, a thought occurred to me while I was taking a bath, and I decided to visit him! Who cares if I would appear aggressive?

Unlike what happened in the bar, there was no hesitation on my part this time. However, while I was on my way to him, I suddenly had second thoughts. What if he would say no to me? It would be the most embarrassing moment of my life!  That’s for sure.  Another deep sigh escaped my lips as I retrieved my purse and proceeded to the door.

My hands trembled nonstop as I knocked on his door, waiting for him to open it. At the same time, I was concerned that he might be sleeping and would not notice someone outside his door.

I was about to leave when I heard the doorknob click from inside, so I turned around and waited. When he saw me, he snapped his brows together, but before he could tell me to leave, I dashed towards the open door and invited myself in. It was a risky and embarrassing move, but it was necessary for my goal.

"Wait, what are you doing here, Bethany?"

In response, I simply smiled at him, but the man appeared to be annoyed. "I thought you wanted me tonight," I said as I took a step toward him. He didn't move an inch to avoid me, so I assumed it was safe, even if he appeared perplexed while staring at me.

His attention was drawn to the white ceiling and chandelier. He sighed and clenched his teeth. "Look, my dear, I'm very busy tonight. So I'd appreciate it if you could just leave."

I persisted, and his brow furrowed in response. The man must have assumed I was insane. Nonetheless, I had no intention of leaving without completing my mission. “I’m already here, Jacob. Will you still send me away?”

"So, what exactly do you want? If you don't mind, it's impolite to go into someone's room at this hour," he grumbled.

As a woman with no prior experience in dealing with a man like Jacob, I should just leave. However, I couldn’t, and I didn’t want to! “Sleep with me,” I announced.