Page 37 of The Heartbreak Hotel

Or was the more apt question, why had she invited a dripping, see-through, incredibly attractive Ella into her cabin after midnight?

Her heart stuttered in her chest, and she leaned forward, grasping the porcelain sink to stare herself in the mirror. Her breathing fogged the glass, terrified blue eyes staring back at her.

What’s the big plan now, Riley?

She should tell Ella to leave. It’d already gone too far.

The memory of her lips made her stomach somersault, and she tightened her grip on the sink.

Being around Ella had a unique effect on her. As though all the chaos in her mind quietened when they touched. It was dizzying but not unclear. Quite the opposite—it was as if she’d put on a pair of Ella-glasses, and everything had come into focus for the first time in years.

But the reality of that was immobilising.

Senhor Arenoso’s furrowed brows and deep-set frown popped into her head. She had to tell him…but he’d be so disappointed. She couldn’t afford to lose the only person she thought of as family. Or her job. She couldn’t be like António.

Her mind was running away with itself. But what could she do? The thought of sending Ella away after what she’d said at the ruins made her want to vomit. And more importantly, she didn’t want Ella to leave. She didn’t want her own fear to be the reason this feeling ended.

She sucked in a few deep breaths, letting the sensation wash away the negative energy clogging up her veins. Then she slipped off her wet clothes and got changed, hanging the sodden ones on the radiator.

Sensing she’d been a while, she opened the bathroom door, stopping herself halfway through. “Er—you all good in there?”

Ella laughed. “Sure. You can come back into your own apartment.”

Ella was sitting on the bed, dressed in Riley’s oversized navy T-shirt, one of her old surfing ones from back home. She’d pushed her red hair back off her face, which was flushed and still a little pink from sunburn.

Seeing Ella in her clothes made Riley swallow. She was perfect.

Not helping, brain.

Ella’s dark eyes were focused on her. Even now, in the comfort of unflattering oversized clothing, electricity sizzled between them. She wondered what thoughts were occupying her mind. Was she overthinking this as much as Riley was? Or was this something that happened to her often?

Since she and Elodie broke up, Riley couldn’t even think about putting her heart in the firing line again. How could she do that when Ella was going to leave in a couple of weeks?

Ziggy hopped onto Ella’s lap, and she giggled, delighted. The sound shot endorphins straight into Riley’s heart as she scratched at his chin, his purrs loud enough to send tremors through the cabin. Riley tucked her hands into her pockets, not knowing what to do with them. Why did it feel like she’d never done this before?

“Would you like a drink?” she asked.

“What do you have?”

“Teas, coffee, water…whisky.”

“What?” Ella’s sudden jump in volume startled Ziggy, and he ran under the bed. She stood, closing the distance between them.

Riley feared for her life.

“This whole time, you’ve had whisky in here?” She shook her head, her eyes wide, but Riley caught the quirk of her mouth. “How many more secrets are you keeping?”

Riley chuckled nervously, retrieving the bottle from the cupboard and pouring two small glasses. She didn’t like to talk about herself. It opened too many trapdoors.

But what did you expect would happen, inviting her back here? Eejit.

Ella checked out the label, letting out a low whistle. “Sixteen years? Nice. You know your whisky.”

“Not really. My dad.” She handed Ella her glass.

“Are you two close?”

She shook her head. “No. Not really.”