Chapter 6

Maci stood with her back against the door of her hotel room, breath coming in short gasps. She had almost asked him to come inside, and she wasn’t sure if she should regret it or not. There had been something in his eyes when they had made eye contact that had made her heart flutter, and she couldn’t deny the pull she felt towards him. Being near him reignited all of her feelings for him.

She let out a long sigh and closed her eyes, trying to process what happened. It all started so innocently enough. When they had gotten to the end of their drinks, she had almost asked him to come back to her room. She had wanted to explore the connection.

Maci opened her eyes and straightened her back, taking a deep breath. She could feel the energy still buzzing, and she couldn’t deny her desire for him any longer.

She slipped her heels off and threw herself back onto the bed, staring up at the ceiling and wondering what tomorrow might bring. On one hand, she was eager to flaunt her success to her enemies and revel in their envy. On the other, she was most excited about spending more time with Dawson and working up the courage to come out and tell him how she felt.

The fear of rejection threatened to cripple her, but she knew she had to persevere and take the chance. She was certain this might be her only opportunity—once it was gone, there would be no turning back. Steeling her resolve, she fixed her gaze on the ceiling and allowed her mind to drift.

She imagined how her enemies’ faces would look when she revealed her success. She could envision their shock and envy as they realized all she had accomplished while they had been busy with trivial matters. A smug smile crept onto her lips as she imagined their reactions.

The thought of Dawson was almost enough to make her smile again. She needed to tell him before they left back to New York City on Sunday. She thought about what she would say, about how his eyes would widen and how his lips would form a smile. The thought made her heart flutter, and she couldn’t help but smile.

As she lay there, a sense of peace washed over her. No matter what tomorrow would bring, she was determined to make it a day worth remembering. With that thought in mind, she drifted off to sleep with a satisfied smile on her face.