He had kept me close the entire time, shielding me from the crowd. I couldn’t help but feel secure whenever he towered over me. When he wasn’t using his intimidation tactics on me, I actually really appreciated them.
Our conversation had flowed more easily at sunset than ever before, but we couldn’t keep it going during the ride back. I sat in the last available seat, thanks to Harrison's insistence, while he stood beside me, wedged between the people packed into the aisle. At every bump or sharp turn, my face pressed lightly against his stomach—which, I must add, was rock solid underneath his flimsy T-shirt.
When I finally stepped off the bus, I let the fresh air waft over me. The bus let us out closer to our hotel than the heart of town, a fact I was very grateful for. I needed a break from the bustle.
“That was a perfect day,” I said, falling into step next to Harrison.
“It was pretty good,” he responded easily.
“Wow! I must be dead or dreaming, because there wasn’t even a hint of sarcasm in that comment.” I nudged him with my elbow, and to my absolute delight, Harrison rewarded me with a small smile.
“What can I say? Someone has me wanting to turn over a new leaf.”
“You mean it?” I asked, unable to hide my enthusiasm.
“I don’t really have much of a choice, do I?” he said, voice lighter than it had been this entire trip. “She’s incredibly persuasive.”
It might not sound like a compliment to the outside observer, but I could sense the shift in our dynamic. Since the day I’d met Harrison, I had wanted nothing more than to win over his grizzly-bear personality. After almost a year, I assumed I’d never be successful. But this accidental forced-proximity vacation might just be the ticket to secure my status as a friend.
I glanced over at him, only to see his bicep bulging underneath his T-shirt, and I whipped my head around to face forward again.
Now I just had to convince my body that friendship was all I was looking for.
My eyes kept being drawntoward the giant elephant in the room—or, I guess I should say, giantbedin the room. Earlier, when we’d dropped our stuff off, we had changed and left so quickly I’d barely had time to register the situation.
Now, back at the hotel, it was all I could think about. My palms grew damp and warm, so I tried to discreetly wipe them off on my leggings. Harrison didn’t seem affected at all as he perched on the edge of the bed and peeled off his shoes. Of course he wasn’t affected. Look at the guy. While I went on failed date after failed date, he probably had a lineup of women at his beck and call. Probably badass women covered in tattoos. Compared to them, I probably looked like a kindergarten teacher to him.
“Damn, it feels good to not have to share a room with a bunch of prepubescent males,” he said, falling back onto the bed.
“They’re nice.” I felt the need to defend the guys. They might have been young and a little exuberant, but they were fun. “Isn’t that part of the joy of traveling? Meeting people you’d otherwise never have crossed paths with.”
“I’ll have to take your word for it. You’re the one who’s good at all this stuff,” Harrison said, but his usual gruff tone now carried a hint of affability. He was making an effort to keep his guard down, which seemed to include the closed-off way he typically approached conversations with me.
“I’m not any better at this than you,” I pointed out, moving to the dresser pushed up against the wall. “It’s not like I ever have any time to travel.”
Harrison's shirt had hiked up, and his stomach peeked out from beneath the hem. Just as I feared, his abs were rock hard. He propped his head on his hand and locked eyes with me, and I jerked my gaze away.
I busied myself with sifting through my suitcase, moving clothes to the drawers until I found what I was looking for. A simple black-patterned midi dress with spaghetti straps, a low back, and a flouncy skirt with a slit.
“Little fancy for pajamas.” Harrison sat up and eyed the dress with a furrowed brow.
“We’re going out, remember? Nigel asked us earlier.”
Harrison’s signature scowl returned at the mention of that. “That was an empty offer.”
“Didn’t seem like it to me. Besides, we’re only here for a few days. We have to make the most of it, and that includes checking out the night life.”
Harrison tipped his head back and groaned, his neck flexing in the process. I had expected resistance, but there was no way he was talking me out of this.
“Lila, please no. Do we have to?”
A little flutter released in my chest at the sound of my name on his lips.
“You don’t have to,” I insisted, moving toward the bathroom to change.
“If you’re going then I do have to, don’t I?” he griped.
I turned to smirk at him before closing the door, taking off my shorts and T-shirt, and hopping into the shower for a quick body rinse.
