Chapter 3

Oh, I like this woman. She's got sass, and what guy says no to a night of great sex without having to know the name of the woman he's with? I'd have to be crazy to not take advantage of that, and while I've been called many things, crazy is not one of them.

"So do you want to stay in the bar or should we take this party back to my villa?" I ask, hoping she agrees to going back to my place.

My mystery woman walks back toward the restaurant, so I follow her and see the crowd at the bar has only gotten bigger since we left a few minutes ago. Good. I'm betting she won't want to stay with all those noisy people. I get the sense she's the type of woman who prefers things a little quieter.

At least outside of the bedroom. As for when she's naked beneath a man, I bet she's nowhere as sassy or quiet then. I look forward to seeing if I'm right.

She looks at me and smiles, even though she's uneasy about what she's about to say. "I guess your villa is going to have to work. That's more like a frat house in there."

I chuckle and slide my hand down her back to guide the way. "I'm impressed that you know what a frat house is like. I knew you were wilder than you let on."

Grimacing, she shakes her head. "I didn't say I knew what a gangbang at a frat house looked like. Why do I get the feeling everything with you is sex?"

I shrug as we continue to walk down the white concrete path that winds around the main hotel toward the villas along the shoreline. "Everything with everyone is sex. You too, although I see by the look on your face that you don't want to admit it. Sex brings us into this world. Sex puts a smile on our face. Sex continues the species. Sex, sex, sex. So why should you or I be against it?"

She rolls her eyes, but a hint of a smile tells me she doesn't hate my argument. "I didn't say I was against it. I just wondered why everything with you is sex."

"Well, we can't talk about anything personal, so that means my work, my family, and most of my life is off the table. That leaves my vacation here and the weather. Would you prefer I talk about the weather?" I ask with a chuckle.

A long pause makes me wonder if she really does want me to talk about the weather, but then she says, "You certainly don't lack in confidence. That's for sure."

I let my gaze drift down her body and then slowly back up to her face. "Neither do you, but it's obvious why. I bet more than one man in this world is sitting at home right now wishing he didn't blow it with you."

"Really? I think you can do better than that for a compliment," she says as we branch off the main sidewalk toward the villas.

She wants better? Okay. I can do much better. Let's see how she likes this.

Just before we reach the first villa, I stop her and turn her to face me. My hands on her shoulders, I stare into her blue eyes as I say, "I have no doubt you've broken men's hearts many times because you're gorgeous and smart, two things that most men who have any confidence at all love. You act like you want to be left alone, but everything in your body language screams just the opposite. I saw you and thought you were the most beautiful woman in the restaurant, so I thought I'd strike up a conversation. That you brushed me off only made you more beautiful because you're a challenge, and there's nothing sexier than a woman who knows what she has going for her and isn't afraid to demand a man be more than the usual guy who thinks some sweet words will be enough to get a woman into bed. Better?"

I watch her open her mouth like she wants to respond to my compliments, but then she closes her lips together as if she wants to keep those words to herself. I don't want that, though. I may not want or need to know her name and everything about her life before we met tonight, but I want to know what's on this woman's mind.

"Go ahead. Say what you were going to. Don't worry. You won't chase me away. I don't give up that easily."

She bites her lip in that sexy way I love and nods. "Most men don't like smart women. We aren't easy to manipulate. I want to believe you aren't like them."

With a smile, I brush her dark hair off her face. "I'm not. I love smart women. Any man who is sure of himself does. I'm making it my mission to find a way to make you forget all those lame guys you knew in the past."

Her eyebrows shoot up into her forehead at my ballsy claim. "You've got a big job on your hands then."

"I'm up to it. My villa is right over there, so let's get this night started."

It takes her a little while to loosen up, but this woman practically glows when she lets herself have a good time. After a couple drinks, we're laughing at that joke Ronan loves about the Statue of Liberty and Father Time. It's a stupid one, but it never fails to make people chuckle.

"My brother has told that joke at every party he's ever been to," I say, barely getting my words out before she holds up her hand to stop me.

"Remember, we aren't sharing any personal details."

Okay, she wants to keep things truly impersonal between us. Well, other than the sex I'm predicting that's going to be the best either of us has ever experienced. I'm not usually aloof, but I can do this.

Nodding, I say, "Got it."

Then an idea comes to me. "What if we lie? That could work. We can mention things about our lives, but only if they're out and out lies."

My mystery woman thinks for a moment and then nods her agreement. "Interesting. I think we might be the poster children for a post-truth world. I'm not sure many people getting together choose to only lie to one another."

"I'm all for the truth," I say as I pour more champagne into her glass. "I have nothing to hide."

She levels her gaze on my face and says, "Either do I. That's not what this is about, though. So lying is our thing. Sound good?"

I shrug and take a sip of champagne. "Fine with me. I'm not usually someone who lies, but I can fly by the seat of my pants."

That makes this beautiful woman sitting next to me on the sofa roll her eyes. "A man who doesn't lie? Nope. Not a thing. That would make you as likely as a unicorn."

As she talks, I watch her perfectly full lips and wish they were on my body instead of speaking about how men suck. Of course we do. What is it they say? Women are from Venus, and men are from Mars? I never read into what that really means, but I remember mythology from high school and based on what I learned about Venus and Mars in that class, I think that explains how different we are and why women find us insufferable bastards.

I'd say it's part of our charm, but I don't get the feeling she'd enjoy my attempt at humor.

"I'm not sure about unicorns, but if someone has nothing to hide, they have no reason to lie. You give the word and I'll be all about the truth of who I am and my life."

That makes her smile, but she shakes her head, nonetheless. "No, let's stick with lies. You know, I don't lie on a regular basis either, so this might be fun. It's like we get a chance to create a whole world on our own."

I get the sense she really isn't a liar back in the real world, something I think I like. There are a lot of things about this woman I like, in fact. She's stunning with a great body I can't wait to enjoy. She's quite easy to get along with, and that's not a compliment I can give to every woman I've ever met.

But I think the best thing about her is she isn't pretending to be someone who just wants to have a good time while she's secretly hoping this will turn into something serious later on. That's very sexy and alluring.

"Okay, then tell me who you are but make it full of lies."

She thinks for a few seconds and then flashes me a sexy smile. "I'm an assistant to a publishing executive. I hate my job, which is why I'm on vacation here. I have seven sisters and love them all, along with my parents."

Hmmm. So I don't know what to think about that job information, but since she's lying, I bet she's an only child. People tend to do the exact opposite when they try to lie, so I wouldn't be surprised if there isn't a single sister or brother.

Curious if she may be coming off a bad breakup, I ask, "Divorced?"

She quickly shakes her head. "No."

Something about that feels off, like she forgot she was supposed to lie, and a second later, she chuckles. "Okay, that's a bit of truth. I'm okay with you knowing that, though. I've never been married, so no divorce."

"This lying gets involved, doesn't it?" I ask as I lean back against the sofa cushions. "How the hell do serial liars do it? It's hard enough coming up with lies and remembering to lie, but imagine having to remember everything you told people. That sounds exhausting, to be honest."

Smiling, she shakes her head. "I couldn't do it. I like to think I have a good memory, but I can't keep track of everything I say to everyone during a day. But have you ever noticed liars are always so charming that people don't actually pay attention to what they say because it's like they're under a spell?"

Before I can answer her question, she adds, "That's why I'm pretty sure you're a natural liar."

I lean forward and set my champagne flute on the table in front of us. Turning my head, I smile at her. "Because I'm charming? I thought I was rude."

"You are. Charming and rude. It's an interesting combination."

When I sit back, I angle my body so I'm close enough to touch her. Brushing my shoulder against hers, I stretch my legs out in front of me. "I like to think I'm more than that, but I'll take charming."

She playfully nudges my arm with her elbow. "And rude. Don't forget that."

I look into her eyes and see this is my in. I knew that hard shell she shows to the world wasn't who she really was.

And now I'm going to find out who the real woman is behind those walls she works so hard to keep up.