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“I’m not really sure what to say,” Ondrej admitted.
I took a deep breath. “I don’t know if you have to say anything. It's me who doesn't know what to say.”
“I just feel like you lied to me. Lied to all of us. I don’t know how to come back from that.”
I blinked away the stinging tears and forced myself to meet his gaze. “I didn't lie to you, Ondrej. I know how it looks. But those plans were from the early days, when I first got the assignment and started looking over the hotel. They were just ideas of mine. You know how I love architecture and remodels. I guess maybe I wasn’t honest when I said I never wanted to actually be an architect. There was a part of me that always dreamed about it. And these renditions were never meant for anyone to see. They were just for me.”
“Then why are they even here? Why bring them to Prague?”
I shook my head fervently. “Honestly, I don’t know. It was obviously an accident. I don’t know how they got out. The drive must have just been in my work bag, and I must have just dropped it when I was working in the lounge.”
“I want to believe you,” Ondrej said. “Honestly, I really want to believe you. Because a person who would lie like that is not the person I thought I was getting to know these past few weeks.”
I took a step toward him, tilting my chin up so I could see his eyes. He was so much taller than me that in another moment, I might’ve laughed. “Please, Ondrej. Believe me. I’m not capable of that kind of deception. Honestly, I’m too honest to a fault. It gets me in trouble professionally because I’m a terrible liar. So look at me now. Could this tiny little person tell such a big lie?”
He chuckled. “You are rather tiny.”
We stood for a moment in the freezing Prague air, the magic of Christmas dancing around us. The air smelled of chestnuts, pine, mulled wine, and spices. The faint echo of carolers resonated in the corridors. Children laughed, their happiness bouncing off the old walls.
“Please,” I tried again, my voice soft. “I need you to believe me. I can’t go home unless you believe me.”
Ondrej’s mouth turned up in a slight smile. “Then maybe I should never believe you. That way, maybe you’ll never leave.” He stroked my cheek gently, his finger leaving a trail of warmth on my icy skin. And then he leaned down and pressed his lips to mine.
ChapterTwenty-Five
Our lips pulled apart, and we were there in the chilly Prague night, staring into each other’s eyes.
“Should we go back to the hotel?” Ondrej said, his voice low.
I try not to read into it too much. But yes, yes, I wanted to go back to the hotel.
I nodded. “Maybe we need a nightcap.”
He smiled lazily, his eyes glassy. Without saying anything, he slipped his gloved hand in mine, and we started walking through the snow. Gentle snowflakes started to fall, kissing my cheeks with their chili bite. The walk back seemed to take no time at all, and suddenly, we were rushing through the lobby, melting in the warm embrace of the hotel’s heat. He said nothing as we stopped in front of the lobby elevator.
“If it completely crazy to ask if you want to go upstairs?”
A smile played on my lips, but I tried not to show too much emotion. “Your room or mine?”
“Mine,” he leaned in, brushing my cheek with his lips. “It’s much more comfortable.”
I tried to hide a giggle as my body filled with warmth. The elevator dinged, and the carriage door opened. Luckily, we were alone.
We stepped in, and as soon as the doors closed, his lips were on mine again. The small carriage filled with heat as we melted into each other. When the doors opened again, I was both relieved and disappointed. I didn’t want his lips off of mine for even the time it took to walk down the hall. We rushed along the corridor and finally reached the corner sweet. He slipped his key over the door, and it opened. We stepped in, and I realized then that this wasn’t just a hotel room. This was where Ondrej lived. It had the same design as the rest of the hotel, but it was as though three or four rooms had been remodeled into one giant apartment. Huge windows overlooked the vast expanse of the Prague skyline. He had a small kitchen slightly cornered off from the rest of the room and a small bathroom off the generous main living space. My eyes trailed to the secluded room in the back.
For a moment, we stood awkwardly in the center of the room, our eyes locked.
“Can I get you anything?” He asked.
I slowly shook my head as I removed my coat and hat. “Only you.”
ChapterTwenty-Six
I was feeling a little high as I settled into the high-top bar table, waiting for Ondrej. My head was in the clouds, and a shot of euphoria was coursing through my veins. I didn’t know what to make of it. I had never felt this way with Charlie or anyone I’d dated.
After we’d finished and lingered in each other’s arms, our bellies had both grumbled in unison.
“I think we really should have invested in room service,” he said, laughing in my ear, an act that sent shivers through my entire body. “And, sadly, right now, all my fridge has is beer and stale bread.”
