AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Oh, who the hell am I kidding?
There’s no way in hell I’ll be able to resist him once we’re alone, sharing a small hotel room. He’ll be sleeping mere feet away from me, showering in the same stall that I’ll be in. It’s pretty much a recipe for disaster, and the scary part is that I’m actually considering it. I want to share a room with him. I want to take the olive branch he’s extending and attend the show I’ve been looking forward to since the day I signed up. I want to enjoy time with him, even if it remains platonic the entire time.
“You have to let me pay you for half of the room,” I say cautiously.
“My company is footing the bill so it won’t matter.”
I give him a long look, weighing all of my options. It doesn’t take me very long because I don’t have any. It’s either share a room with Dean or hop in my car and head back home. Simple as that.
Except I know this will be anything but simple.
But even knowing that, I still find myself saying, “Okay.”
His brown eyes light up in a way I’m not expecting. He seems genuinely happy that I’m bunking in his room for the next few nights. I can’t help but feel a little excited myself as I give him a small smile.
“Great!” he exclaims, reaching for my suitcase.
“I can get it,” I say the moment his hand touches mine on the handle.
Surely the sparks that fly from the touch are visible to everyone in the lobby, including Barbie’s beautiful friend, who still happens to be standing back, watching the entire scene, while tapping her foot in irritation. When her face registers that Dean’s pulling my suitcase behind him and I’m walking beside him towards the elevators it takes on this twisted look that reminds me of someone who sucked on a lemon.
“Your friend is staying?” she asks, trying to sound casual but failing.
“She is. It was nice meeting you, Althea. I’m sure we’ll see each other in passing over the next few days,” he says as he calls the elevator.
“Oh, I’m sure we will. Let’s have dinner tomorrow night,” she says enthusiastically, tossing her long red hair over her shoulder and basically straight into my face.
“I have plans tomorrow night.” His reply is polite, but seems to cut her deeply.
“Well, we’ll for sure see each other at the big dinner Thursday night. It’s for convention attendees only. I’ll save you a seat at my table,” she says, glancing over her shoulder at me once more.
“If I attend, I’m sure I’ll see you there.”
“You have to attend. Everyone is going to be there. Please,” she coos, stepping closer and rubbing up and down his arm. I also can’t miss the way she plasters her perfect boobs against his arm.
The elevator arrives, saving him from having to answer. He allows us both to enter the car before stepping in himself. Althea pushes the button for the fifth floor, while Dean steps forward and cues up the seventh.
Silence fills the car as it starts to ascend upward. The scent of his cologne permeates my entire being as he steps up behind me, the heat of his body felt through my clothes and coat. “I have to warn you, I only have one bed,” he says softly, his breath fanning across my neck, causing me to shiver.
Air lodges in my throat and my eyes widen in a very un-lovely way. I’m sure I resemble a blow-up doll with her eyes wide and mouth gaping open. Not exactly the best look for someone who isn’t staring in a smut film. “You only have one bed?” I whisper, turning slightly to face him.
“I’ll sleep on the pullout couch.”
“No,” I beg. “I’m the one crashing your room. I’ll take the couch.”
“I could never let a lady sleep on the couch while I sleep in a bed, Payton.”
“Or, Dean can join me in my room since I have two queen sized beds. This way, Payton can have her own room. You won’t have to bother her with all of the coming and going we’ll be doing for the convention. We’ll be on the same schedule, so it seems like the most logical solution.” Althea smiles sweetly at Dean, clearly offering more than just the extra bed in her hotel room.
“That’s nice of you to offer, but I’m not leaving Payton. She’s here and I can’t think of anything better than sharing a room with her.” His eyes never leave mine and the temperature rises a thousand degrees. The meaning is clear. Even Althea must understand that her efforts are fruitless because she finally zips her lips and turns to face forward.
From this point on, Dean and I will be sharing a room. A hotel room.
And from the look in his eyes, I don’t think there’ll be much sleeping going on.
