“Nope. The only way to find out what happens in the sky box is to go in the sky box. And I’m pretty sure the only challenge you’ve completed is the casino. Speaking of which…I got you a present.” He gestured to the back seat. “Go ahead and open the top compartment of your suitcase.”
“Mysuitcase?” I looked back. There were two suitcases in the back. One was super cute with red flowers. The other was covered in all sorts of bright green zigzags.
“Yeah. I figured you wouldn’t want to be running around in your business clothes all weekend.”
“Whoa whoa whoa.Allweekend?”
He gave me a funny look. “Of course we’re staying all weekend. What kind of crazy person would only go to a resort for one night?”
I stared at him. Part of me wondered if that photo of Rosalie had really been taken at this resort. It was entirely possible that Tanner had just made it up to get me to agree to go on a romantic weekend getaway with him. But if he thought he was going to win me back, he was dead wrong. Just because he was superhandsome and muscular and fun to be around, it didn’t mean I would come crawling back to him. That would be insane. Or would it be insane not to?
“Aren’t you going to open your present?” asked Tanner.
Oh, right.I turned back to the suitcases. “Which one is mine?”
“Which one do you think is yours?”
“The green zig zags?” I joked.
“Oh yes. You know how I love my super feminine floral luggage.”
“It’s okay. Your secret is safe with me.” I opened the top pocket on the floral luggage and pulled out a little wrapped package about the size of one of those boxes of fancy assorted chocolates.
“You look grossed out,” said Tanner.
“Sorry. I was just thinking about how this box was the same size as those stupid chocolate variety packs.”
“You mean the ones where you have to eat all sorts of awful milk chocolate trash in order to get the one good dark chocolate turtle?”
“Yes!” He totally got me. “Those things make me so mad!” I pressed my lips together. No, Tanner did not get me. He didn’t know me at all. And he’d disappeared for three months like an ass hat.
“Oh. Then I guess you probably shouldn’t open that.” He sounded so disappointed.
My eyes got big. Had I seriously just insulted his gift? What had I been thinking?! My mom had always told me that I was so good at receiving gifts. No matter what she had gotten me, I’d always just plastered a smile on my face and pretended to be so excited. Could I still backtrack and make him think I appreciated his gift? “The thing I love about chocolate samplers is that the one dark chocolate turtle is so good that it makes up for all the trash chocolate. Not that your gift is trash…” I cringed at my own words.
Then Tanner started laughing. “This isn’t the first time someone’s told me I gave them a trash gift. But do you really think I got you a chocolate sampler? Why would I do that?”
I glared at him. Of course he had been messing with me. “I forgot how annoying you are.”
“Annoying, huh? In that case, I guess I should just take this back…” He reached over and tried to snatch the present out of my hand. I swatted his hand away.
“No takesie-backsies, mister. Didn’t anyone ever teach you any manners?”
“Nope. Now hurry up and open your present.”
I tore into the paper. I was relieved to see that the gift wasnotchocolates. Instead, it was a black box emblazoned in gold lettering on the lid.Jewelry?I opened the lid and nearly got blinded by the sun reflecting off the gold necklace inside.
“Try it on,” said Tanner.
I pulled it out and clipped it behind my neck. Then I pulled down the mirror to check it out. There were three gold chains all connected in the back. One was kind of a choker, the next hung a little lower, and the third hung down between my breasts. There was a charm on the end that looked like an old-fashioned coin. I expected it to be etched with some Greek letters or something, but instead it featured the same dice symbol that had been on the key Cole had given me. “Why’s this on there?”
“To show which challenges you’ve completed. Once you get seven coins, you’ll be elevated to a gold member. If you don’t like it there are a bunch of other styles to choose from. I just thought this one would look best on you.” His eyes followed the necklace down between my cleavage.
“Eyes on the road, buddy.”
Tanner quickly averted his gaze.
I looked back down at the necklace. “I love it.” I really did. It was classy and sexy and super shiny. And the fact that Tanner had picked it out made it even more special. “Thank you.”
