AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“No… it’s me. I’m just… I don’t want to talk about it,” he repeated stubbornly, looking away from her.
Whatever it was, he looked really bothered and unsettled… almost alarmed. She’d never seen him behave quite so possessive before downstairs, and frankly it was a little flattering.
“Well, whatever is wrong… let’s leave it here the moment the elevator opens. This is supposed to be a nice getaway in a beautiful city full of lights and attractions. Let’s have some fun and enjoy spending some time together, okay?”
John nodded silently, his throat working as he swallowed.
“You’re not frightened of elevators, are you?”
“Me? No! I’m a pilot… I’m in the air often without a second thought to it,” he sputtered in disbelief before looking at her. “Do I look scared of something?”
“Yeah, you look very unsettled every time…” Emily froze at the realization of what exactly was wrong – and John’s expression told her she was spot-on. “It’s me, isn’t it?”
“Nooo…” he drawled out, looking extremely taken aback and alarmed.
Before she could say anything else, the elevator doors opened onto the floor and she stepped out, nearly pushed forward by John who was in a panic to get out of the enclosure, marching towards the room with a purpose, trying to end the conversation.
“Nothing’s wrong,” he said flatly.
“I can tell something is wrong because you look fine - except when you look at me… when you look at me, you look like I’ve asked you to eat a cricket or something.”
“I’ve done that before and they are nasty,” he bit out, shoving the key into the door lock as it turned green. He turned the knob and pushed open the door. “I do not look at you like that – nowhere close to that.”
“You have eaten a cricket?” she gaped in shock… at the admission from John or the room before them, she wasn’t sure.
The hotel was immaculate of course… but the room that they’d been given was breathtakingly beautiful. Warm golden lights glowed from alcoves along the ceiling, creating an ambiance that was indescribable and welcoming. The wooden laminate floors drew them forward silently, only to see a golden carpet with black interlocking circles patterned on it.
There was a massive bed on an upraised dais overlooking the floor-to-ceiling windows with an impressive view of the streets below. In the distance was a ‘false’ wall, mimicking the interlocking circles of the rug, but with golden bands allowing you to see through… to a jacuzzi tub?
There was a tub in the bedroom?
Emily swallowed and hesitated… only to hear John gulp audibly as he dropped their things on the floor with a thud. They both stood there unmoving for several moments, taking in the room.
Everything glittered, was gilded, or in black or gold shades, looking beyond opulent… and John stepped away to look out the windows, crossing his arms over his chest, while Emily walked in, trying not to tremble or freak out as she looked around.
This was not anything like what she booked!
Looking in the bathroom off in the distance, she saw that there was a walk-in shower with two showerheads coming from the ceiling, a toilet, a bidet, and two gilt sinks that gleamed from under-lighting below the cabinet.
A knock on the door interrupted the flurry of chaotic thoughts that were dancing in her mind as she emerged to see John moving to open the door.
As she walked around the kitchenette, towards the end of the mock wall… she saw him emerge from the entryway holding a bucket with a bottle of bubbly.
“We need to talk,” John said slowly, setting it down on the small coffee table in front of the windows, where a loveseat for two looked out on the city.
“I didn’t bookthisroom,” she started nervously, realizing he was right. “There’s a bathtub in the middle of the…”
“A jacuzzi…” he corrected.
“There’s one bed.”
“I noticed.”
“We can’t stay here.”
“I know that, too.”
“It’s the presidential suite.”
