“I fuck, Winter. I don’t date, I don’t make love, I don’t court women or plan elaborate weekend trips. I fuck, then I sleep in my bed, alone.”

I know I said one-night stands are not my thing, but I’m not unaware of the fact that my body would likely trade a kidney to experience one night with Aleck Fox, even though my mind wants to pummel him with a blunt object every time he opens his mouth.

Classic Winter. Overthinking everything to death until it no longer sparkles.

Aleck tightens his hold on my hand, charging across the street to the entrance of the resort. I struggle to keep up with his determined pace, feeling exhilarated and scared equally. Once we enter the Resort, it becomes real. I need to be sure of what I want. I need to know he won’t treat me like shit tomorrow. Or think this is going anywhere it’s not. If I do this, it ends tonight.

“Wait,” I spit before we enter the revolving door.

Aleck stops and I almost slam into his backside. He turns, staring down at me like I’m a housekeeper who just prepared his salt bath wrong.

“How do you know I even want this?” I bark, not knowing what else to say to slow this down. I need time to think.

His eyes narrow into slits. “I’m a lawyer, Grimm. I notice everything. You want me. And in light of recent realizations, I want you. Why scrutinize?”

“Uh, because this could be disastrous.”

“Yeah. It could also be worth the devastation.”

I drop my gaze to our feet, not able to hold eye contact, annoyed that he’s so stoic and staring at me like he’s waiting for me to sign a contract. The consequences will surely be more dire for me. Aleck steps forward and wraps his arm around my waist. His handprint on my bare back is like an iron on my skin.

He pulls me flush to his chest. “What do you need to feel comfortable?”

The words every single woman on the planet wants to hear before she’s with someone new. Oh, he’s good.

“I barely know you, Aleck,” I whisper, eyes still fixed on our feet.

“Winter, I don’t talk to people. Don’t trust them. I told you about my parents, my brother… You know me more than most.”

That can’t possibly be true. But if it is, that’s so tragic.

“Tell me one thing,” I whisper. “One thing that will make me trust you.”

“My birth parents died on my tenth birthday.” His voice was like electric honey between us. He didn’t even think about his answer or that he can trust me with it.

I snap my eyes up, slipping in the puddle of his warm blue pupils.

“Murdered over drugs by a neighbor in the trailer park I grew up in.”

“You were adopted…” I whisper.

He nods. “I was adopted.”

My insides tighten and sadness pricks the backs of my eyes. But succumbing to the sadness isn’t a possibility. Sadness isn’t why we’re doing this. Aleck and I owe each other nothing. We barely even like each other. We’re safe. We’re cleansing each other.