My smile was intact though. Because my heart didn’t feel heavy and Raleigh is the reason.

When we enter the suite, I turn to him. “Archer is staying right across us.”

“I know.” He scratches his neck before stalking across the living room to step inside the bedroom. I follow him.

“Brielle and Nina are—” Raleigh tears his shirt off him and faces me.

“I know, princess. But can we not talk about them right now?” He reaches the small fridge beside the king-size bed and grabs a small water bottle.

He unscrews the cap and pours the chilled liquid over his chest and arms, uncaring about the mess on the floor.

“Those fuckers bit me over my shirt.” He grunts as he surveys his body.

The things I wanted to say are forgotten as my eyes take in his broad chest, his olive skin, and those washboard abs. A deadly combination.

My gaze doesn’t stop there. It drops down.

His shorts are riding low on his hips, highlighting his sharp oblique muscles which is a perfectv.

“I am fucking exhausted.” His voice pulls my attention up to his face. “You can go ahead and take a shower. I’ll order room service. You need to eat. And then we’ll call it a night.”

I nod and head to the bathroom.

Like the bedroom, it has a great view.

I do my business before using the walk-in shower.

Once I am done drying myself and my hair with the towels available in the bathroom, I realize I forgot to grab my fresh clothes.

Wrapping a towel around me, I open the bathroom door and peek out.

Raleigh is nowhere to be seen.

I could step out and grab my clothes from my luggage and risk him catching me in a towel or I could call him to pass me a robe instead.

I decide to go with the latter. I don’t have to call out his name as I hear footsteps.

He appears in the doorway, still shirtless and his eyes glued to his phone screen.

“Hey, I hope you don’t mind me ordering dinner on your behalf—”

“Raleigh, can you pass me the robe, please?” I say in one breath.

He looks up. His blue gaze raking over my wet hair and naked shoulder and arm as I grip the door.

For seconds, he doesn’t move.

The air feels charged and I try hard to pretend I don’t feel the thick fog of lust between us.

I clear my throat. “The robe, Raleigh.”

He blinks. “Right.” He let his eyes slide over my face and the exposed skin one more time before turning away.

I mutter a thank you and take the robe, not missing how his fingers graze mine in the process.

???

We ate in silence. We didn’t discuss work. Nor did we discuss the hug we shared on the beach. We just sat in the living room and shared a meal.