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Hell, the room even took my breath away. Perched on the top floor of the hotel, the floor-to-ceiling windows provided an unobstructed view of downtown Manhattan and its sparkling white lights shimmering in the moonlight.
“It’s amazing,” Nora said, beelining for the basket of fruit, cheese, and wine on the coffee table.
I bit back a laugh. “Really? That’s amazing?”
“You’re underestimating how hungry I am. That steakhouse was nice, but I barely had time to take a bite between questions.” She removed a bow from the basket and ripped off the cellophane, handing me the bottle of champagne and pulling out a sleeve of crackers and a wedge of cheese.
I popped the top and poured two flutes. Nora shoved a cracker in her mouth, grabbed a ludicrously large wedge of cheese in one hand and champagne in the other, and stood surveying the room. She kicked off her shoes by the couch and strolled along the perimeter of the room, skirting past the windows and into the bedroom.
“Andy, come look at this!”
I followed her into the bathroom. She stood over a bathtub; champagne flute balanced on the edge, cheese in her mouth, and a mass of tiny bottles in her hands.
“Look at this bath! It’s huge!” she mumbled around the cheese.
“Should I leave you alone with this?” I leaned against the doorway, watching her in amusement.
“I’m just warning you where I’ll be hanging out while you’re in meetings. Me and this tub are going to be real good friends.”
I sucked in a breath, not sure I could focus on my meetings knowing Nora was lounging naked in a bath.
“I’ll take the couch,” she said, setting down the bottles and picking up her champagne, emptying the flute.
“Excuse me?”
“The couch. If you don’t mind, I’d like to hang my clothes in the closet, but don’t worry about waking me. I sleep pretty hard.” She walked back through the bedroom and into the living room, sitting on the couch to pour another glass and pick through the remaining food.
“You’re not sleeping on the couch.”
“It’s nicer than my couch at home, and I’ve slept on that plenty of times.” She shot me a playful smile that made my stomach flip.
“I’ll take the couch. I’m getting up early most mornings, anyway.”
She shook her head. “You paid for this hotel room. I’m not taking the bed.”
“Technically, Brad paid for this hotel room, and he did it because we got married, so the bed is yours.”
Nora eyed me with a hint of defiance. Then, she shrugged. “Fine. Suit yourself.”
CHAPTER12
Nora
Sunlight streamedthrough the giant window facing the river. I pulled the downy comforter over my shoulders, luxuriating in the plush bed, still half-believing the weekend had been a dream.
I could have spent the entire weekend in the tub and been a happy woman. Actually, I could have spent my whole life in that tub. Andy called the front desk and ordered a tray of bath bombs, salts, and delicately scented soaps for me. Thinking we had nothing better to do, I spent an entire morning bathing before he knocked politely at the door, asking if I was ready to go.
Go where? Everywhere. For three days, we’d watched three Broadway shows, eaten at half a dozen restaurants, and seen all the sites we could cram in before Andy’s business trip started in earnest. Everywhere except the Empire State Building.
Andy had offered to take me the second day, and I’d declined, arguing that the weather was too cold for the observation deck. I just couldn’t bear visiting the place I associated with real love with my fake husband—one I learned I liked more every day.
I reluctantly pushed myself out of bed, running a hand through my hair and peeking through the twin pocket doors into the living room area. Andy finished dressing on the other side of the door, pulling a tie over his head and adjusting it in the mirror. I bit back a smile while I watched him. His blonde hair was still mussed from sleep, his broad shoulders filling the tailored suit. Not for the first time on this trip, I wondered what being his girlfriend would be like. His wife. Not just pretend.
“You’re up early.” Andy caught me staring at him in the mirror. I pushed back the embarrassment of being caught and opened the doors.
I shuffled to the chair opposite the couch and sat, pulling my slippered feet up. “Just wanted to say hi before you left.”
“You want me to call for some breakfast?”
