Page 46 of Room Service

17

Trent

I held Jessi close, feeling her holding me just as tightly.

What am I doing?

The thought kept running through my mind as I realized this wasn’t exactly normal behavior for me. Of all the women I’d had sex with, I didn’t usually end up asleep in the same bed with them, and even in the few cases I did, there was never this… cuddlingafterward.

I realized I really loved feeling her soft, smaller body pressed against me.

“Jessi?” I called tentatively.

There was no answer. She squirmed a little and curled further into my chest, and I couldn’t help grinning.

I am never letting you go again, Jessi,I thought to myself with determination.

It felt more like admitting something I’d known for a while than coming to a realization that she was really important to me. Besides, I’d practically bared my soul to her twice now. I wasn’t sure if she knew how important it was that I’d let my walls down around her. After that, I just couldn’t let her go.

My body shivered a little as I ducked my head into her hair and breathed deeply. Jessi was still asleep in my arms. I’d never done this before with my bed partners, but for Jessi, I could allow a lot. I knew, for her, I could let myself start to love again. It was something so foreign to me, but I knew it would come so easily with Jessi by my side.

I wasn’t sure when I fell asleep. I didn’t think I could, feeling so giddy for the first time in a long while. But I did eventually drift off, dreaming of Jessi as I held her close in my arms. My dreams were all about our past, present, and future. I hadn't forgotten how she was the closest person to me before my mom died. I’d pushed everyone away, but Jessi had always stuck around. I hadn't been nice to her back then, but now I could feel the ice around my heart start to melt.

As for our future… I hoped we had one together, anyway. It would be just perfect if that dream could come true.

Then, I woke up, and once again, I was alone.

Really Jessi?I thought with a frown. Why did she keep doing that? I stretched out then moved to where I’d dropped my clothes, searching for my phone through them. It wasn’t that early in the morning, so maybe she was just at work?

That’s right,I thought to myself, feeling placated. There wasn’t anything else that would get her out of bed early, right? She had her obligations to the hotel. She probably got up early to head to work.

I got dressed in yesterday’s clothes, leaving my shirt only partway buttoned and leaving off the tie. I didn’t look around the room as I left, though I couldn’t help but notice the boxes she’d had around were all gone.

“She probably just put the stuff back,” I said to myself in reassurance.

She had a long shift usually, and I couldn’t go down to bother her. Besides, that would only fuel the rumors, and I needed to kill them before they grew even more annoying.

It was early enough that I didn’t worry about anyone catching me coming out of her room. I rushed back to mine to jump into the shower. I hummed as I stood under the warm spray, keeping the shower short. Then I was getting dressed for my day. I left my room and headed for the elevators to take me up to the office.

I was tempted to give Jessi a call. Then I remembered she hadn't officially given me her number yet. It was still there in the records, but I couldn’t bring myself to use that. The elevator doors opened before I could think too much about it, and I stepped outside.

Besides, I would probably only be a bother to her. Jessi had always been the responsible type, and if I tried to butt in while she was working she would be annoyed with me. Besides, it was one of the reasons I admired her so much. She knew what needed to be done and she went and did it. As much as my dad had tried to teach me, I’d learned that sort of attitude from her.

“Good morning, sir.”

I stopped with a blink because I’d almost just walked past the secretary. Usually, I greeted her in the morning. If she hadn't called out to me, I would have forgotten.

I gave her a wide grin as I said, “Good morning to you too. Have some coffee sent up for me before starting anything, all right? Thank you.”

She was left stunned as I walked into the office. And while I knew why, I didn’t care.

I was happy.

The realization was a pretty obvious one, but I couldn’t help grinning at the thought. For the first time in a long time, I could say I was genuinely happy, and it was all because of Jessi. My day was better because I was thinking of when I would get to see her later.

My coffee came in twenty minutes later, and I thanked both the server and the secretary as she’d let him in. I was left to myself, humming as I drank my coffee and logged into my computer. I picked up work where I’d left off yesterday, feeling more excited than I’d felt in a long while to get to work.

After a while, I picked up my phone because I couldn’t help myself. I had Jessi’s number, so why not use it? I sent a quick text.