AllFreeNovel
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There’s a small two person table pressed against the outside wall of the kitchen and one doorway that sits at the back of the room. The space can’t be more than five hundred square feet total, unless the bedrooms are bigger.
“I’ve stayed here the two times I’ve been in Italy.” Kane drops his suitcase to the side and crosses to the left where a small galley kitchen is tucked away in the corner. He continues to speak after he’s disappeared inside. “I know it’s small, but it’s a central location and as you saw from the drive in, it’s surrounded by tons of restaurants and shops. I could have gotten something bigger,” he says, re-emerging from the kitchen with two bottles of water. “But I thought you’d appreciate this location more.” He hands me one of the bottles when he reaches me.
“It’s perfect.” I smile.
“Just wait until you see the bedroom. The view from the window back there is amazing.” He puts the bottle to his lips and takes a long drink.
“Bedroom?” I question, not missing the way he says it as in singular.
“There’s only one bedroom here,” he admits, seeming completely comfortable with this.
“One?” I choke.
“Relax.” He chuckles, setting his water on the small door side table before hoisting his duffel bag over his shoulder and grabbing the handle of his suitcase. “I can sleep on the couch,” he adds, carrying his luggage to the back of the room and disappearing inside what I can only assume is theonebedroom.
Not sure what else to do, I grab my suitcase and drag it through the apartment toward the bedroom as well. When I step into the doorway, Kane already has his suitcase open and is hanging shirts in the closet which is really more of a wall with hanging racks and shelves, completely open to the rest of the room.
I open my mouth to say something but become momentarily distracted when I catch sight of the large window, or rather the view out of that window. It takes up almost the entire back wall of the room, giving off a perfect view of the canal.
Abandoning my suitcase in the doorway, I make my way to the window, not able to tear my gaze off of the incredible sight before me.
Italy. I’m actually in Italy,I think to myself, for the first time actually taking it all in.
“Amazing, isn’t it?” I jump when Kane’s voice sounds directly next to me.
“Incredible,” I admit, slowly turning to find his gaze locked on me.
“I’ll need to keep all my things in here and of course, we will have to share the bathroom.” He points to a door behind me. “But you can have the bed.”
“That’s not necessary. I’m happy to take the couch. Besides, you’re way taller than me. You’d likely hang half way off that tiny thing,” I object.
“I’ve slept on worse.” He chuckles like he’s remembering something funny before quickly adding, “Besides, you’re my guest. What kind of host would I be if I forced you to sleep on the couch?”
“And what kind of guest would I be if I made you sleep on it?” I counter.
“It’s fine, Elara.” He grins. “Really.”
“Kane,” I say as he turns to walk away.
“Not up for discussion, Elara. The bed is yours.”
I’m seconds away from suggesting that we share it but quickly snap my mouth shut, knowing how absurd that would be. Even though it is a queen bed and we could both easily fit, I honestly can’t imagine sleeping next to him and not doing something I would very much regret after the fact.
So instead I say nothing at all, watching him exit the room moments later without another word.
It takes me all of fifteen minutes to empty out my suitcase, hanging the few outfits I brought with me right alongside Kane’s much fancier looking wardrobe that consists mainly of black suits, light colored collared shirts and ties–all of which I know to be for work. I trail my hand down the arm of one of the suit jackets, my mind wandering back to the only time I’ve seen him in a suit–at Kam’s funeral.
“Hey.” Kane’s voice startles me. I quickly drop the jacket sleeve, bend down to pick up my toiletries from my bag, and do my best to pretend like he didn’t catch me oddly touching his clothing.
“Hey,” I say, straightening my posture once I have my cosmetics bag, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and all my other girly things balanced in my arms.
“I was thinking I’d take a shower. Then maybe we could go out for dinner in a little bit,” he offers, continuing to speak as I step into the tiniest bathroom in the world and deposit all my things on one of the built in shelves above the toilet.
“I’d like that,” I say, emerging from the bathroom seconds later. “But you’ll need to give me time to shower as well. I feel like I’ve been in these clothes for days,” I say, looking down at my black yoga pants and gray baseball tee. I wanted to be as comfortable as possible for the eleven hour flight here but now I feel rather frumpy.
“Of course. Why don’t you go first and I’ll make a few phone calls while I wait my turn.”
“Okay,” I agree, letting out a small breath when he nods once and disappears from the doorway.
