Page 67 of To Love the Stars too Fondly

“Very,” I replied, the realization that I was starving starting to leave me spinning.

The concierge met us at the door. “Ms. Winthrop, it’s an honor to have you at our establishment. Housekeeping is preparing a room for you and your guest now. Should just be a few minutes, but I heard you may need some assistance from me with shopping.”

“I’ll send instructions to the desk,” Alex said, “but yes. In the meantime, my guest is hungry.”

“Of course.” He looked to me. “Ms.—”

“Stern,” Alex finished, and something about it made me blush.

“Ms. Stern, I am happy to provide a menu, but if you have a specific request, the chef will accommodate anything you desire.”

…What the hell did rich people eat? I looked to Alex. “Would you pick for me?”

Half of what she said was in French. The concierge nodded along until a well-dressed employee whispered in his ear. “Your room is ready,” the concierge said, passing along a key card. “We’re technically fully booked, but we like to keep our executive suite available for priority guests such as yourself. Will you be dining in the room or in the kitchen?”

“Room,” Alex replied.

“Then I will escort you straightaway.”

The building smelled of aged wood and a hint of incense. We followed him to an elevator, where we rode to the very top floor. How I wished it were daytime so I could stare out the glass wall to the outside, but instead I saw only my own reflection, a clear interloper in this world of luxury and old money.

But my self-conscious thoughts faded when the concierge opened the door to the executive suite. I couldn’t care about anything when I saw how enormous the bed was.

“If you don’t wish to call, you can text all instructions to me personally,” the concierge said, handing Alex a card. “Dinner will be delivered as soon as possible. Don’t hesitate to ask me for anything.”

Alex offered him a rolled-up bill in return. “Pajamas, first of all.”

“Absolutely, Ms. Winthrop.”

He left. I looked to Alex. “He didn’t ask for sizes or anything.”

“It’s his job to know,” Alex replied, a bit of pride in her grin. “Do you like it?”

“It’s more than I could have imagined,” I admitted. “I’m kinda into snooty rich-girl Alexandria, not gonna lie.”

“Well, she’s kinda into spoiling smart-mouthed baristas.”

“And I’m kinda into being spoiled, so carry on.”

I went to the window, enamored by what, in my uneducated view, seemed like a stunning room. Outside, the light of the room overpowered what I was certain was a stunning view. “Alex, could you turn off the lights?”

She obeyed, and all those brilliant stars reappeared, plus a beautiful balcony. “Can we eat outside?” I asked.

“Anything for you.”

When I looked back, I saw pure adoration in her gaze.

Food appeared quickly. Once I was satiated, I realized how exhausted I was.

Regardless, the idea of being clean superseded all other needs, my body begging to purge myself of the memory of sitting in Cliff’s car and all that had followed. I put myself in the hotel shower, amused by the 360° glass and the realistically perfect view Alex had of my body.

Of course she sneaked glances. And of course I noticed. I blushed even as the steam fogged up the glass, the obscured view somehow even sexier.

I wasn’t entirely sure where we stood, but after the day’s events, I was too exhausted to overthink. I’d presented my heart. I’d bared my soul. Now the ball was in Alex’s court, and I felt at peace.

In the interim, I was here in this beautiful place, safe from all manner of horrors, and now, as I scrubbed away the final emblems of grime from my skin, I was renewed.

When I finally emerged from the shower, a soft robe had been laid out beside my towel—something that had not been there before. I dried myself and let the robe envelope me, then stepped back into the room proper.