Chapter 42

Cora had no idea how much time had passed when Val finally eased himself off her and collapsed beside her on the bed. His hand gently cradled her face and he used one thumb to wipe a tear off her cheek. Where had that come from?
"You okay?" His voice was gravelly, and she couldn't help feeling a thrill of pride at the tremor in it.
"Yeah." She had to swallow twice before she could manage another word. "Never better."
"Amen to that." He leaned over to gently kiss her swollen lips. "Thank you."
"Mmm. You too." She gave a sleepy yawn before continuing. "But you cheat. Now I have to go with you, who could resist a whole weekend of that?"
"Not me, that's for sure. I'd love to spend the weekend having sex with you." He slipped out of bed and disappeared into her bathroom, though he didn't bother to close the door.
Cora was just beginning to nod off when he came back to bed and pulled the covers up over both of them.
"Sorry," she murmured. "I know it's too early to go to sleep." It was only what, 8:00? 9:00?
Val just chuckled. "Take a nap. If I have my way, you're going to need the energy."
Cora was a little bit sore as she packed the next day for their trip, but she wasn't going to complain. She and Val had woken late in the evening, eaten more of the Chinese takeout, and gone back to bed for another round. This morning he'd taught her how to have sex up against the shower wall.
She was in way over her head, but she couldn't say no to this trip. She wanted him just too damn much. Even if she was going to end up hurt when it was over, at least she'd have her memories. It would be all too easy to fall for Mr. Valentine Holiday.
So, what to pack? She didn't own much in the way of sexy underwear or even a bikini. Ringo sprawled across Cora's bed, supervising while she stared helplessly at her closet.
"This is bad, isn't it, boy?"
The cat ignored her, licking his paw then jumping to his feet when the front door opened and closed.
"Hey, honey, I'm home." Marla Evans, Cora's roommate, sang out as the thump of her flight bag hit the floor. "What's up? Same old, same old, I assume?"
"Oh lord, Mar, you're never going to believe it." Following Ringo, Cora walked out to the living room, her best sundress, modest by anyone's standards, draped over her arm. "I have one day to pack for three days in the Virgin Islands with the hottest guy I've ever met. And I haven't got a single damn thing to wear."
"Whoa." Marla backed up, her bright blue eyes wide. She dropped her suitcase and caught Cora by the shoulders. "You're kidding, right? Who are you, and what have you done with my roommate?"
Cora made an X across her chest. "Cross my heart. It's the weirdest story, and it's probably your fault anyway."
Marla held up one perfectly manicured hand. "Give me five minutes to pee and change. Don't. Go. Anywhere. I have got to hear this."
With the cat trotting at her heels, she disappeared into her bedroom.
Cora flopped on the couch and waited. Four minutes later, Marla returned in jeans and a T-shirt, with her shoulder-length platinum blonde hair held back with a headband. She dragged Cora into the kitchen and began rummaging through the fridge. "Okay, now spill. What the hell happened while I was gone, and why is it my fault?"
Over leftover Chinese takeout, Cora told Marla the whole story beginning from the mix-up with Compu-Cupid.
By the end, Marla shook her head and swallowed a mouthful of Kung Pao chicken. "I swear," she said after a second. "I had nothing to do with this. I've never even heard of a dating site called Compu-Cupid. Are you sure it's legit?"
Cora shrugged. "Val called the airline and the resort. Both are well known and well respected, and they have our registrations showing everything is fully paid for and in both our names."
Marla nodded thoughtfully. "And you're sure you trust this man? He's not some kind of sicko stalker, is he?"
"I...umm...may have had Charlie run a background check." Cora winced at abusing the system, but the private detective the office used sometimes had been happy to do a quick check as a favor. "Val Holiday is almost squeaky clean. He had two parking tickets in the last five years. Otherwise, he's twenty-eight, never married and almost rich. He has a Master's from Duke in computer science, magna cum laude. His family owns the Holiday card company. Oh, and he's fucking gorgeous."
"Somehow I doubt Charlie told you that part." Marla chuckled and took a long drink of sweet tea. "So, how is he in bed?"
"Un-freaking-believable." Just the memory of Val in the shower this morning had Cora's blood heating. "Mind-blowing. Heart-stopping. Addictive. I can't even believe I'm doing this, but I want to go on this trip with him more than I've wanted anything in years. So, are you going to be home to watch Ringo?"
"Absolutely." Marla cleaned off her plate and set it in the sink while Cora threw away the empty boxes then added her own plate to the sink. "Now get your purse, babe. We're going shopping."