Her mind started racing with possibilities. What if he hadn’t wanted to fool around with her? What if he’d just taken her home out of pity or duty or guilt?

While she was assessing the situation, James’s eyes opened and her breath caught as their eyes locked.

“Good morning, Sleeping Beauty,” he said with a scratchy voice and a smile.

“Good morning,” she replied, and, in panic, turned away to wipe under her eyes and remove any stray makeup.

“Sorry to surprise you with an unexpected overnight,” he said, still reclined and breathtaking in his shirtless splendor.

Trying to sound composed, she pushed herself up. “How come you slept over there, in the chair?” It came out like a squeak.

One corner of his mouth lifted into the slightest smile. “Well, you kind of fell asleep in the car without giving me your address. And you were pretty hard to wake up. Since you really weren’t in shape to consent to a slumber party...” He shrugged and indicated the chair. “You must be really exhausted from all the traveling you’ve been doing?”

She blushed furiously.

Really smooth, she commended herself. Step one, go home with the cute guy you like. Step two, kick him out of his bed. You have a great future as a How Not to Have a Life coach.

“Can I ask a question?” she whispered, anticipating a horrible answer. “Did I do anything really embarrassing?”

“No,” he said, shaking his head with a grin. He arched a single eyebrow and she felt her blush deepen. “You did get a little chatty. You said something about a patchouli nudist party. Is that what the cool reporters are doing these days?”

She covered her face with a hand. “I said that? Oh god.” She took a deep breath and forced herself to look up and meet his eyes. “It’s a nudist resort, and I’m not the one going. I hope that doesn’t disappoint you?”

“Not at all. I’m a little relieved actually.” He smiled. “Friends?”

“No. It’s my mom’s wedding,” she went on, feeling suddenly exhausted, as if just talking about her mother could suck the life force from her. “She’s going through this earth mama phase. At first I thought it was just to get attention, but she seems pretty committed.” She sighed. “She’s marrying a nudist.”

“She’s marrying a nudist,” James repeated, carefully. “Will the ceremony be—?”

“God, no. No. At least I hope not. No, that’s the honeymoon.”

A cough of laughter escaped from James before he could clap a hand over his mouth. “I’m sorry, this probably isn’t funny for you but—”

“It should be funny,” Natalie said, smiling. “If I were in my right mind about my mother it would be but I just—”

Suddenly she froze.

“What day is it?” she asked, feeling a rising sense of panic.

“Saturday.”