I’m tempted to press her on the issue once more.
Thankfully, logic prevails. I’d rather not bring up a subject that may upset her. Or remind her of one of the many obstacles keeping us from acting on our mutual attraction.
Defeated, I place one hand on her hip to steady her, then reengage the elevator and press the24button. The car lurches, causing her to stumble. On instinct, I wrap her in my arms, holding her close.
The whole way up to the top floor, I stare into her eyes, mesmerized by the little flecks of gold along the edges of her blue irises.
She holds my gaze, silent confirmation radiating off her as she licks her lips and emits a quiet, defeated sigh.
I want to kiss her again.
Need to in a way that feels both carnal and essential. But we can’t. At least not here.
Instead of acting on instinct, I nudge my nose against hers. “I’ll walk you to your room.”
She raises her eyebrows in challenge. “That won’t be necessary.”
Her defiance delights me. She has no problem articulating what she wants—or in this case, what she doesn’t want. I can only imagine how her directness would present in the bedroom.
Nope. Not going to think about that right now.
She asked me to stop, so I’ll be damned if I lead either of us back into temptation tonight.
As the number above the door moves from19to20, I drop my arms. Then, with a heavy sigh, I shift to the opposite side of the car, putting a safe, respectable distance between us.
When the doors open on the twenty-fourth floor, I extend one arm and usher her out with the other.
Half a dozen steps down the hall, she glances over her shoulder. “I said I was fine. You don’t need to follow me to my room.”
“About that…”
After Japan, I sent a request that Evangeline’s lodging be prioritized when possible. I submitted the memo as an accommodations need, citing the benefits of a full kitchen and a bathroom with soaking tub. Knowing that she’s working, even on her days off, and that she often prepares her own food, it was a fair ask.
I’m the boss, so no one questioned the request. Plus Leslie knows that Evangeline used to date Luca, so it isn’t that out of the ordinary for me to know a little more about her than I would the average employee.
What I didn’t entirely think through is that Granata books good accommodations for all our personnel. Every employee gets their own room, and we always opt for high-end hotels.
So my request essentially bumped Evangeline to the management tier. A.k.a. suites and penthouses. That puts the two of us in the same room category here in Spain and probably at many of the future races as well.
I should have anticipated us being on the same floor, or even in the same wing.
But I didn’t. Just like I failed to anticipate us sharing a wall.
And it’s not just any wall. It’s a wall with a set of doors that connect our rooms together.
With an apologetic wince, I stroll past her door and stop at mine, holding up my room key.
Before I can justify the situation so it looks less like obsessive behavior, Evangeline snorts, then giggles.
“Really, Ric?”
My breath catches in response to the nickname.
I much prefer hearing my full name on her lips. But right now, I’m just grateful she isn’t calling the local authorities and declaring that she has a stalker.
“I swear I didn’t plan this,” I assure her.
She studies me, still standing at her door. She hasn’t scanned her room key.
