CHAPTER 3: MEETING THE HOT GUY FOR THE JOB.

HARPER'S POV:

I wasn't sure why I couldn't look away from him. Even when our eyes locked, I should've looked away but I kept gawking.

Arriving at the pool with my girls, I scanned around just to take in the environment. I wasn't at that point thinking to meet the potential "target" to get the job done. There he was.  Easily the best-looking man by the pool. I didn't know why my attention kept returning to him. It was ridiculous. And a little exciting.

Relaxing on a lounge chair, his ripped, Hercules-like body on full display, he looked like he had been perfectly moulded in a laboratory, every inch of him meticulously crafted and meant for one purpose, seduction.

Even though he was wearing sunglasses, I could tell he was staring right back at me. Why couldn't I look away?

“Harper? You good?” Mila suddenly asked, turning to look at me.

I blinked and finally managed to jerk my gaze away from the sexy mountain of a man, but it was a little too late. While Nivea and Oasis were busy slipping through the crowd to get to the bar, Mila had been focusing on me and caught me staring.

“Huh?” I gasped, blinking as I looked at her. “What was that?”

She glanced across the pool and when she spotted the guy, her brows knitted. "Harper, You're my best-friend. I love and would always support you. But, please, don't tell me you're pushing through with that crazy idea of yours."

"I am." I sounded breathless, which made me winced.

She gave me a nudge with her elbow. "Snap out of it. It's your virginity we're talking about here," her voice dropped to a whisper. "Do you really want to give it to some random stranger in a city you might never come back to? Don’t you want your first time to be special?"

“Yes, I am. I’m tired of waiting. This is the perfect opportunity to do it and get it out of my way so I can focus with life when we get back to Michigan.”

Mila frowned and her brow furrowed in clear concern.

Releasing a long breath, I patted the top of her head. “I just want to get it over with,” I told her in a soft voice. “I already feel so behind when it comes to life experiences. All I have done is take care of Nicole, be responsible, work hard and go to school. I have never even had a boyfriend and I'm twenty-one. I’m finally done with school and just want to live like a normal girl before stepping into the next phase of my life. I don't want to keep wondering what it would be like to actually be with a guy.”

Mila stared at me for several moments and then arched her brow. “So, what you’re saying is that you’re a horny little vixen and you need to get that fixed so that you can concentrate on being your life even if it means smashing someone who could have some deadly disease, have a girlfriend or doesn't take care of you even if it's your first time. That about right?”

I bursted out laughing, and I shoved her shoulder. “I guess that’s one way to sum it up except the ugly part.”

She chuckled grinning devilishly. "By the looks of it," her eyes trailed back to the guys from earlier across the pool, "you've already spotted someone and he's sinfully hot. You should go say hi!”

“Oh, I don’t think that’s a good idea…”

“Come on,” she said, cutting me off with a wave of her hand. “He definitely looks experienced. Unless you rather go for the sexy one next to him.”

"No,” I murmured, peeking back over at both Hercules and the sexiness next to him. They were both ridiculously attractive, but there was something about the first guy that had practically hypnotized me. “I want the taller one.”

“Then go get him,” Mila encouraged me. “Even if I'm fiercely against this idea, I want you to at least remember that the one that gave you your first pleasure was stupidly hot. One week of fun before you go back home and become a responsible adult again.”

Biting my lip, I look between Mila and the hottie several times before sucking in a deep breath. “All right,” I nodded. “Okay, you’re right. I just need to go over there and talk to him. No big deal. If he turns me down, it’s not like I’ll ever see the guy again, right?”

“Exactly,” Mila replied in a confident tone. “You got this. Now get your cute ass over there and charm the shorts off that guy. Literally.” I released a burst of laughter.

“Okay, I’m going!” I turned to walk around the pool and as I started to leave her, Mila smacked my butt with her hand.

I glanced back at her with a squeak of surprise and she blew me a kiss. I winked at her, making my way around the pool, slipping through the crowd and keeping my eyes locked on my target.

He continued to watch me as I drew near, a small smile peeking from the corner of his lip. My heart fluttered and I felt giddy, the majority of my nervousness melting away to be replaced by excitement.

By the time I reached his chair, he was sitting up and lowering his sunglasses. I got a flash of his deep-set brown eyes and I felt myself flush as he looked me up and down.

“Hey,” I said, my voice surprisingly low and sultry. I was careful not to look too pleased with myself for sounding so confident.

“Hey,” he replied, his hoarse voice making me shiver. “I’m Hudson.”

I hesitated only a second. "Madison." The lie rolled out of my mouth fast. Yes, I wanted this but it wasn't my normal self. It was an experience I would keep in Las Vegas so it was keep things more anonymous.  Strangely, I felt even less nervous knowing he didn't have my real name.

The corner of his mouth crooked up into a half-grin. “Madison. I like that. I’m glad you came over, Madison. I was going to hunt you down if you didn’t.”

My smile widened. “Oh? Is that so?”

“Don’t mind me,” the sexiness next to him said with a chuckle. “Just chilling back here, being invisible.”

Hudson reached back and smacked the other guy’s arm. “This is Owen, my best-friend. Ignore him,” he told me. “He’s just jealous you’re talking to me and not him.”

“Oh, yeah?” I teased.

His best-friend snorted and relaxed back against his chair. Hudson stood up and I had to tilt my head back in order to meet his gaze. Damn. He was tall. Dangerously attractive. Definitely worth getting to know.

Harper would've overthought every word and was socially awkward. Madison wasn't.  Madison flirted, took risks, was confident, cool, fun and sexy. Madison only had seven days to exist.

I gave him what I hoped was a flirty little smile and said, “Oh my world. You're gigantic.”

He laughed at that. “I sometimes forget how big I am compared to most people."

His best-friend was chugging a beer and pretending he couldn't hear us.

Hudson gestured to the lounge chair next to him. “Care to join me, Madison?” Tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear, I lowered myself onto the chair beside him, feeling a rush of exhilaration at being so close to this hunk of a man.

People around were beginning to pass out from all that hard partying, the song still blasted from hidden speakers and the sun was starting to set.

“So, Madison,” Hudson began, his voice smooth like melted butter. “What brings you to this place?”

I tilted my head to face him. “Just some much-needed relaxation and fun before heading back to reality. What about you and your… handsome best-friend over there?”

Hudson's expression flickered with something unreadable as he glanced at Owen, before focusing back on me. “We’re here for a little getaway too. He thought we needed a break from life.”

“Sounds like we're in the same boat then,” I mused. “Maybe this trip just got more interesting."

A mischievous glint spreaded in his eyes as he leaned closer. “Very interesting, Madison.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” I murmured, holding his gaze.

“Why don’t you invite your friends over and hang out?” he suggested. “We can get more drinks and chill by the pool for a while.”

“Sure!” I exclaimed, pushing to my feet. “Hold on. I’ll go get them.” I turned and rushed back to the other side of the pool where Mila, oasis, and Nivea were perching on stools at the bar. “Hey!” I grabbed Nivea's elbow and caught her attention. “Those guys invited us to hang out with them.”

“Awesome,” Nivea replied, smacking Mila and oasis on their arms to get their attention. “Let’s go hang with the hotties, ladies.”

“Oh!” I declared, after only a few steps. “Just a heads up, I told him my name was Madison.” Mila's brows shot up and Nivea and Oasis both appeared just as surprised.

“Really?” Mila said, her lips curling into a delighted grin. “All right, Madison. We’ll play along, but that just means you’ve got to make it worth it with…”

“Hudson,” I offered.

She nodded. “Hudson. Got it. Anything else we should know? Is there any other thing we need to know?"

I laughed, shaking my head. “No, just my name. And don’t mention where we are from, where we went to school. Numbers. Any in-depth personal detail at all. Especially me, please. Remember, this is just for the week. Nothing more. Now, play it cool, okay? Don’t blow this for me.”

“Don’t worry, that’s not the type of blowing I have in mind for today,” oasis snickered.

I gasped and playfully punched her shoulder. Mila rolled her eyes with a smirk while Nivea chuckled at oasis's joke.

They all linked arms and sauntered over to where Hudson and Owen were lounging by the pool, their laughter carrying through the warm evening air.