“Meadow.” He lowers his gaze so he’s staring directly into my eyes. “Seriously, don’t worry about it. I got the wedding guest discount, remember? And…” he stammers, his eyes darting away before returning to me. “I wanted you to feel comfortable.”
Comfortable.
The word lands somewhere between thankful and dangerous. I want to tell him I’m grateful for his thoughtfulness, but also, the unhinged part of me wanted there to be only one bed. A rare situation where we would be forced to face the one-sided tension between us.
I want to tell him that the relief I feel is almost indistinguishable from disappointment.
Like always, I decide to play it safe.
“Thank you,” I murmur. “Really. This is so nice.”
His eyes dart between mine as an easy smile curves his lips.
“Thank you for coming, Meadow,” he replies. “I’m glad you’re here. And if I’m being honest, I’m a hell of a lot happier it's you here instead of my ex.”
Really?I think in my head as he keeps speaking, as if he doesn’t realize he’s playing Monopoly with my heart.
“With you,” he adds, “I can just be myself. Things are easy and fun with you. With her, everything was a fucking battle. Her way or the highway. High maintenance as hell.”
A surprised chuckle slips from my chest.
“Good to know I’m not high-maintenance,” I tease, my tone lighter. “But seriously, I get it. Things have always felt easy with us.”
I don’t think either of us knows what that means, but we can’t deny that it’s true.
A curious look I’ve never seen before flashes across Owen’s features, his eyes assessing every inch of my face. It feels foreign…Intimate.
For a heartbeat, the space between us feels incredibly charged. Our breaths mingle, weaving together in a web of emotions that seem to stray far away from friendship.
Just as quickly as the electric feeling came, it went. Owen rubs the back of his neck, his gaze darting away as if he felt the little spark, too.
After what feels like an eternity of silence, Owen nods toward the sliding glass doors.
“Want to go check out the balcony?” he asks.
“Sure,” I smile and follow him outside.
The balcony opens to a stunning view of pale sand and teal-blue ocean, clear water that fades from bright aqua near the shore to darker blues farther out. Towering palm trees are scattered throughout the resort, their fronds rustling in the wind and creating the perfect white noise for an afternoon nap.
A luxury, resort-style pool and a pair of steaming hot tubs sit right in the center of the property like a hidden oasis. My gaze shifts to the wooden boardwalk that weaves through tropical foliage, leading out to the beach where a few people lounge near the waves.
I still can’t wrap my head around the fact that I’m on this trip… for free. I’ve never stayed anywhere this nice, let alone had a view like this.
“How is this place even real?” I whisper.
“Right?” Owen lets out a breath beside me. “It’s insane.”
He leans his elbows on the railing, his emerald eyes taking in the view.
“I can’t remember the last time I went swimming,” he mutters. “Wanna check out the pool tonight?”
My knuckles turn white as I grip the rail, imagining seeing Owen shirtless for the first time—drops of water sliding down his chest, gliding along the muscles I’ve only ever seen glimpses of through office clothes.
Christ.
I’m no better than a man.
My mind traitorously flashes back to the plane, when Owen teased me about the ripped guy on my book cover and said he could “learn a thing or two” from my romance books.
