I have no idea what I’m doing. My mind races while Tigo drives us back to the hotel. I’ve never slept with a man I’ve known less than twenty-four hours, but the more time we spent together tonight, the more I warmed to the idea. I only wish I knew more about hookup etiquette.
“Did you change your mind?” Tigo asks.
“Um, no. Why do you ask?”
“I can feel your nerves from here.”
A shaky laugh leaves my lips. “Out of my element. That’s all.”
“We’re both new at this.” He squeezes my hand. “We’ll navigate it together.”
“Perfect.”
My decision is set by the time we reach the hotel parking lot, but my nerves are still wrecked. Normally when you date someone, you have time to learn what turns them on and what doesn’t. What their preference in bed is, what is off-limits.
Tigo stops the car, twisting in his seat to face me. “Ready?”
I nod. “Yes.”
As we walk through the grounds to my room, Tigo reaches for my hand, and I give it. We pause, hearing a muffled soundbehind a tree as we approach. Tigo protectively puts his arm around my waist.
“Who’s there?” Tigo calls out.
The worker from earlier peers out from behind the tree. “Shit, man. It’s you.”
“Oscar? What are you doing?”
Oscar sees me and cringes. “Dude. This guest is after me.”
“The same guy from earlier?” I ask.
“That’s the one. Saw me at the bar and lost his shit again.”
“What did you do now?” Tigo asks.
“Nothing, I swear.” He lifts his hands, looking over his shoulder. “He thinks I was flirting with his wife, but this time, I swear, I wasn’t. I was just being friendly.”
“You need to tell Howie and lay low.”
“Nah, man. I have a job to do. I’ll just avoid the bar.” He focuses on us again. “Have fun tonight.” He scrambles off in the opposite direction, leaving Tigo shaking his head.
“That guy is a piece of work. Heart of gold, but untameable. I can’t wait for him to meet the person willing to try. It’s gonna be fun to watch.”
“I witnessed his run-in earlier.”
“I believe him that he wasn’t flirting. He always admits his deeds. We affectionately call him Chaos around here.”
“Sounds fitting.”
When we arrive at the room, I unlock it and stand to the side for Tigo to pass. He slides his flip-flops off, so I do the same. We stand in the sitting room for a few seconds, both of us seemingly unsure how to start.
“We should check out your patio,” Tigo thankfully offers. “It’s really nice out there. I can order some wine from the bar too.”
“That sounds nice. I’m gonna freshen up real quick.”
“Great.”
In the bathroom, I splash water on my face. I’ve been with the same guy for two years, but the last three months have been a barren desert. This is exactly what I need to get back on the horse and move on. I would happen to find the hottest man in San Diego. No pressure.