Midnight Daffodil (Poisonous Petals #1)

Chapter 24Olivia

twenty-four

OLIVIA

T he hours that followed were hideously uneventful. I ordered a chicken sandwich and fries that I barely finished from Wendy’s and hauled my heavy bags to the hotel. The lady at the reception desk looked about as happy as I felt, and we bonded momentarily over that as I paid for my room with the cash I had.

I wanted to see Luke, hear his voice. He would’ve gotten off work a few hours ago, I thought, looking down at my phone.

Would he be awake?

I slid the keycard in the door; I was on the second floor in room 1313. It clicked and blinked green. I turned the handle and a whoosh of stale air hit me in the face. I stepped inside and shut the door, latching the safety lock on the inside.

In the entryway was a full length mirror with the worst lighting, or maybe it was me that looked like shit. The other door opened to a big bathroom with a toilet, sink, and shower. A single queen sized bed sat in the middle of the room near a tiny green love seat that had seen better days, much better days. A WiFi password watched me from the nightstand, collecting dust.

I quickly unpacked the toiletries and hair products I’d brought. I hurriedly showered, redressing in comfy fleece lined leggings and a tight, long sleeve sweater, and plopped on the bed. The endless possibilities stretched before me, yet I felt directionless. My phone buzzed against me in bed, pulling me back to reality.

That’s right!

I could take it off vibrate and have the sound on with ringtones. I customized text tones, ringtones, and vibrations for the only two people I talked to. It was my phone and no one would be going through it or tracking it. Once I finished that, I decided to do what I was most terrified of.

I wanted to call Luke.

I desperately needed to hear his smooth timbre, to see him. I hadn’t heard his voice since that night we’d spent together. I wanted more of those memories. Our text messages ranged from sweet and sappy romance movies to the dirty things we were eager to do with one another. I couldn’t wait to make both scenarios a reality.

After changing his name from Melanie, I hit the call button on his contact. I didn’t have a cute pet name for him yet, but anything beat Vera’s multitude of crude nicknames for him.

The line continued to ring mockingly; I almost hung up. Was it still a bit too early for him? When do third shifters sleep?

Shuffling on the other end threw me back to the moment.

“Hey, angel,” the sultry, deep voice rumbled from his throat, layered with sleep.

“Hi,” I said in lowercase letters. My voice sounded so soft and quiet, unrecognizable at first. Get it together, Olivia. “Were you sleeping? Did I wake you?”

I heard more shuffling and blankets moving across the sheets. “No, I was awake.”

I raised an eyebrow, feeling a smirk tug at my lips at his obvious lie, but I didn't care. I just wanted to talk to him. We made small talk for the next several minutes. I wanted to ask him if he wanted to meet up. But how? I didn’t want to sound desperate.

“Did you wanna go out tonight?” I blurted out.

Silence followed.

More silence.

Oh God. No one has ever been quiet this long ever.

“Sure, angel. Did you have anywhere in mind?”

“Anywhere with you is fine.” I meant to be flirty, but it came out gravely and unsexy. Like I chain smoked thirty cigarettes.

He laughed, and it was hot enough to send teardrops running down my inner thighs. We made plans for a few hours from now, and I dropped a pin on his phone with my location.

“Why are you staying there?” he asked, puzzled.

His voice caught me in a chokehold. Listening to his slight southern accent when he spoke had me thinking with my pussy and not my brain.

“I don't know.”

“Okay,” he dragged out the word. “We can talk about that over dinner tonight.”

We said our goodbyes; waves of anticipation made me restless. The thought of a second shower tempted me, but instead, I slipped into an outfit that would ensure Luke’s eyes stayed on me all night.

My emotions gave me whiplash lately; one minute, I cried hysterically, and the next, I planned when I could mount Luke again. I started hair and makeup, giddy for my first official date with Luke.

Unease rippled through me in a shock wave. Leaving Matt felt entirely too easy. After five years together, the thought of him letting me go made as much sense as a snowstorm in July. I couldn’t help but wonder if this was the calm before the chaos.

Would I make it through the aftershocks?