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“No. I still want the room,” Fox said. “Just a moment.”
He pulled a card from his wallet and rattled off a number. I assumed it was linked to his false identity and would be cut up as soon as he’d handed cash over on arrival. He must have reserved the last available room.
7
FOX
I parked in the lot of a standard midrange hotel. Darren didn’t make any comments, so I assumed that meant he approved. Whether he did or not, he was going to stay here. I certainly wasn’t giving my name—even if it wasn’t my real one—anywhere else. He was clearly not as paranoid about someone tracing his movements as X and I were.
I got out of the car. When I noticed Darren wasn’t following, I went around and opened his door. “Your accommodations await, Your Majesty.”
“I’m staying in the car while you check it out.”
“Not this time. You won’t be where I can see you. I need you in my line of sight at all times.” I lowered my voice to make the words sound like an innuendo, but Darren didn’t rise to the bait.
I checked us in, and we headed up to our room. We were the only ones in the elevator, which wasn’t surprising at this time of day. I’d already had to bribe the woman working reception for an early check in. I could be charming when I wanted to be. I could be very charming.
I leaned against the back wall and studied Darren. He kept his eyes on the increasing floor numbers, but I knew he was aware of me. I saw him tense when I shifted toward him. The movement was nearly imperceptible, but I’d been taught to notice such things.
He might not give me another reaction now, but I was sure he would have something to say when we got to the room because the only room they’d had available was a king room. With one king bed. I was perfectly willing to sleep on the floor if need be, but I had no intention of telling Darren that until I’d gotten him riled up about it.
Once again, Darren tried to exit the elevator first. This time I was ready for it, and I stepped in front of him. When I was certain there was no one in the hallway but a cleaning crew, I motioned for him to follow me. Instead of doing that, he rushed ahead, getting to our room first and holding his hand out for the key card. I handed it to him, and he swiped it, then stepped inside. I almost fell into him but managed to pull up short and let the door hit my ass.
“What is this?” he yelled.
I made a dramatic show of looking around. “It’s a hotel room as far as I can tell. Let’s see. Bathroom, bed, desk, window. Yep, it looks pretty standard.”
“There’s only one bed.”
“We could always go back to the motel. We had two beds there.”
Darren visibly shuddered. “Are you trying to torment me? Or do you really just enjoy finding the worst hotels in town?”
“There’s nothing wrong with this hotel.”
“Fine, but you’ll have to sleep on the floor.”
“Hell no. That bed is plenty big enough for the both of us, just like the one in your room back at the fancy place that we could have had so much fun in.”
“Having ‘fun’ is not an option for us.”
I studied him a moment and let my lip quirk up. “Are you so sure about that?”
“Yes.”
“Then it won’t be an issue for you to share the bed with me, will it?”
He sighed heavily. “Stray onto my side, and you’ll end up on the floor.”
I let my bag drop heavily. “Honestly, all I want to do right now is sleep.”
“That I can agree with.”
I doubted I’d had more than two hours of sleep and that had been dream-filled and restless. Sharing a bed with Darren would be a hell of a lot easier if those dreams hadn’t been about him, but I was going to show him I could follow his rules. We were going to be stuck together for a while. Who knew what might happen down the road.
I made a more thorough check of the room. Despite how small the chances were that anyone knew we were here or what room we were in, I wasn’t taking risks.
When I finished prowling around, Darren said, “Are you satisfied with the room?”
“Far more than you are apparently.”
He sighed heavily. “Can we just go to bed?”
“Oh, so you’re inviting me now?”
Darren grabbed some of the excess pillows and made a line down the middle of the mattress. “You stay over there. I’ll be over here.”
“That’s not necessary. I prefer my men willing.”
Darren turned away and didn’t say anything else. Did that mean he was willing, but he wouldn’t admit it? I sure as hell hoped so. I wouldn’t cross that line, though. If things went the way I wanted, it would be Darren coming for me.
