“You okay?” Gabeasks, his voice soft. His eyes peer into mine as he puts a gentle hand on mylower back.
“I’m a little drunk,”I admit, but I put on a smile so he knows it’s no big deal. “Do me a favor anddon’t let me fall in front of all these people.”
He chuckles andwraps an arm around me. I breathe in his delicious scent and secretly wish Iwas drunk all the time if it meant he’d hold me like this.
We walk out of therestaurant and toward the elevators.
“Which floor areyou on?” he asks.
A delightful tinglezips through my whole body as I look up at him after the elevator doors close,encasing us inside. God, he is so sexy. I could strip him naked right here inthis elevator.
“Ten,” I say,reaching into my back pocket for my hotel room key.
“I’m on the tenthfloor, too,” he says with a grin. “Must be where they put the cool people.”
“It is,” I say,poking him in the stomach. “So how did you manage to get there?”
“Oh, I see how itis,” he says playfully. “You don’t think I’m cool enough for the tenth floor?”
I shrug, like I’mactually thinking it over. “I haven’t seen any evidence of your coolness yet.”
I love joking aroundwith him like this. It makes me feel alive. Like someone who has adventuresinstead of a constant string of boring days. The doors slide open on the tenthfloor, and I step out slowly, the motion of the elevator making me feel alittle dizzy.
There are twodirections you can go, and my room is to the left. I wonder if Gabe’s room isdown here too, or if it’s to the right. He walks next to me though, stoppingwhen I stop at my door.
“This is me,” Isay.
“Drink some waterand take some aspirin,” he says. “You wouldn’t want to miss out on a wonderfulday of business panels tomorrow.”
I smile up at him.“Good advice.”
“Goodnight,” hesays. He starts to walk away.
Just like that.
Like a gentleman.
Here I was thinkingmaybe he’d be some kind of jerk who wanted to talk me into sex or something.But he didn’t. He saw me safely back to my room and then told me goodnight.
Oh man, I amall abouta guy with manners.
“Gabe?” I call out.
He turns back tome. “Alexa.”
“Can you come herefor a second?” I ask, my voice a little higher than usual.
As he walks back, Islide my key into the door and push it open.
“What’s up?” hesays.
“This.” I throw myarms around him and pull him in for a kiss.
For a terrifyingsecond, I worry he’ll shove me away, tell me he has a girlfriend or that he’s notinterested in me. But as my heart thunders in my chest, Gabe kisses me back.His strong arms wrap around my waist and hold me closely to him. I inchbackward until we’re in my hotel room and then I kick the door closed.
I am not ready forbedtime just yet.
Chapter 7
