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I stick my tongue out at him before surveying the haul. Most hotels serve a bit of cereal, some battered fruit, and a muffin if you’re lucky. This hotel, on the other hand, has only the best. Crepes, fresh fruit in a delicate crystal bowl, eggs benedict, and an assortment of chocolate croissants.
My stomach grumbles, so I pop a chocolate croissant into my mouth and promptly let out a groan at the flavor. Definitely only the best.
Tarek chuckles. “I’m glad you like it.”
I nod and finish off the croissant before I start on a crepe. “I do, thank you. You didn’t have to do this.”
He shrugs. “Perhaps not, but I didn’t think you’d be in any shape to go downstairs for breakfast.”
My cheeks heat and a shy smile tugs at my lips. My heart beats a little faster. For a possible one-night stand, he sure is being considerate.
Tarek’s eyes roam over my body. “As much as I appreciate the view, aren’t you cold?”
I shrug. The air in the room is a bit chilly, but there’s no way I’m getting up for a shirt-hunting expedition.
Tarek looks around, spots something, and reaches over the side of the bed. He hands me what looks like his button-up shirt. “Here.”
“Thanks.” I slip the shirt over me, not bothering to button it up. It’s big enough that it hangs over my form like a jacket.
Once again, he’s thinking about my comfort. I look at him, a question in my eyes. He stares back at me with the same question. What are we?
We both quickly avert our gaze and continue to eat the delicious breakfast. As we do, I stew over how to approach the subject.
Should I just be blunt and say how I’m feeling? Except I don’t really know how I feel. I like him, I’m very much attracted to him, but I don’t know if I want to go any further than this. If it should go any further than this.
And maybe Tarek doesn’t want anything beyond last night either. Maybe he’s just a gentleman and this is what he does.
I pull the shirt around myself a little more. Feeling fed up with not knowing, I open my mouth to ask when he opens his mouth at the same time.
“Oh, you go first,” I stumble out.
“No, please, go ahead,” he says hastily.
“Really, I don’t really know what I was going to say anyway.”
He hesitates a moment more before seeming to come to some sort of conclusion. “I don’t regret last night,” he says bluntly.
I smile a little. “Me neither,” I reply quietly.
He shifts uncomfortably on the bed as he continues. “I think you’re an incredible woman, and I respect you greatly. And if we were any other people than who we are, in a different circumstance, I’d tell you with certainty that I want this to happen again.”
“But.” Because I know there’s a but.
“But we’re also working together, and it could get messy. And I don’t want you to think I’d ever hold the fact that I know who you are over your head.”
“No, I didn’t think you would.” The words are out of my mouth before I can even process them. And even then, I know without a doubt that it’s true. I just can’t see him stooping to anything so low.
“You’re an incredible person, too,” I murmur. “I like that you have a bit of the same ruthlessness as me and that you’re not afraid or intimidated by what I am. And obviously, I appreciate you on a physical level.”
I give him a sly smile, and he gives me one in turn. “I think you know how much I appreciate you physically, too,” he all but purrs.
Goosebumps that have nothing to do with the cold dance across my skin. Memories of last night bubble up to the surface, and I push them away. I need to get these feelings out before I do something foolish like jump him again.
“It’s kind of like you were saying, though, it’s complicated. I’m not sure what to call this or if this is even anything. Or should be anything,” I admit.
Tarek hums thoughtfully. “Maybe we don’t call it anything then. Maybe we just agree we appreciate each other in many different ways and don’t put a name to it. And from there, we’ll see if it’s something that should go any further.”
I nod. An understanding but not a commitment. “I think I like that idea.”
