Page 14 of Property of Azrael

By sheer miracle, the receptionist seems to buy it hook, line, and sinker, and hands me a couple of paper menus from the local restaurants. “Moe’s is the best place in town, and they deliver for free.”

“Thanks.” I step away from the desk and walk over to a fuming Hallie.

“What was that about?”

“Nothing,” she mutters, refusing to make eye contact with me.

“Look, Hallie. I’m not sure what I did back on the road to piss you off, but I’m sorry. Today’s been a shit day, I get that, but there’s nothing more we can do until the storms pass through the area. So why don’t we head up to our rooms, get you warmed up, and grab some dinner?”

“And who exactly will I be staying with?”

“She can stay with me,” Fox offers, not missing a beat. “Got plenty more of those snacks, and we can share ’em this time.” The fucker winks at her and she blanches. Hallie’s uncomfortable as it is with this situation, and his constant teasing is making it worse.

“You want his room?”

“Hey, now, wait a damn minute,” Fox argues.

“Keep messing with her, and I’ll revoke it and bunk you with Van.” Ignoring his grumblings over my threat, I turn my attention back to Hallie. “Take my room. I can bunk up with someone else.”

“I’m not taking either of your rooms. I can’t keep imposing on you like that.”

“It’s not imposing if we’re freely offering.”

She leans back into the couch, looking defeated, so I signal for the guys to head off to their rooms. The last thing she needs right now is an audience. She’s in a hotel with five guys she doesn’t know. If the roles were reversed, I’d be thinking the worst as well.

“Look, I know today has been weird, but you’re here, safe and sound in a hotel and not sitting in your car, waiting to ride out the storm. I’m serious about my offer. If you would feel more comfortable, I can stay with one of the guys. My room is yours.”

Hallie’s emerald eyes lock onto mine. “I can’t do that to you. You’ve done so much already for me, and robbing you of a good night’s sleep is the last thing I want to do.”

“Your comfort is more important to me than a shitty night’s sleep next to my brother or one of the other guys.”

Hallie uncrosses her arms and leans forward, resting her elbows on her knees. “I’ll share with you.”

Her change of heart is jarring. If she wanted a room all to herself, I’d give it to her, even at the risk of my being able to smell anything other than Van’s flatulence for the next few days.

“You sure? There’s no pressure from me.”

“I am,” she answers assuredly. Shifting from the couch, she stands and gathers her discarded belongings. “On one condition.”

“Name it.”

“Dinner is on me.”

“Deal. Now, let’s go find our room and get you warmed up.”

HALLIE

My heart stopsthe second we enter the room.

This is a joke. It has to be. Maybe it’s Fox’s doing, as his way of getting back at me for scoffing at his “snack,” because there’s zero chance that this happened without premeditation. Stuff like this doesn’t happen outside of a romance novel, and I’d know, since I’ve written several that started off with this very thing. There, in the center of the room, lies the problem. A large bed sits where two smaller beds should be.

Just. One. Bed.

Azrael doesn’t seem to pay the issue any mind as he deposits his bag on one side of the bed. He grabs a few things out of it before he realizes I haven’t made a step farther into the room.

“What’s wrong now?”

His low, gravelly voice, exposes a hint of annoyance, catching me off guard. I know my situation is less than ideal, but he’s the one who offered to get me to Houston. Now, though, it seems that my presence is abrasive.

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