Page 128 of Blood and Buttercups

“But he’s not gone yet,” Cassian says. “Why don’t you check out the room next to his? I think it might suit you for the night.”

I look up at him, and he jerks his chin toward the hall, in the direction Noah disappeared.

“I’ll never find him. This place is huge.”

“Then you better hurry so you can catch him.”

“Thank you,” I say again. “You’re all right for a dusty old vampire.”

“Hurry up. Your friend and I have unfinished business.”

“If you bite Olivia, I really will stake you.”

“Go,” he laughs, his dark eyes warm.

I don’t find Noah before he leaves the basement, but I do run into Melissa.

“Do you know which way Noah went?” I ask her.

“I think he went to his usual room. Go down that hall, head up the stairs, take a left, and then go all the way to the end of the hall.”

“Are there numbers on the doors or anything?”

She sniffs like the question is ridiculous. “This isn’t a hotel.”

“Right.” Following her instructions, I jog after Noah, finding him just before he pushes through the door on the second level.

“Wait!” I call.

Noah turns, his eyes sweeping over me as I hurry to catch up with him. He wears an enigmatic expression, but a smile ghosts over his lips.

It breaks my heart a little.

“Hi,” I say when I stop in front of his door.

It’s quiet up here, just Noah, me, and probably fifteen silent maids watching us from hidden nooks and crannies.

“Hey,” he answers.

And suddenly, I don’t know what to say.

He nods inside. “You want to come in?”

“You said you were going to shower.”

Playfully, he raises his brows.

“I’m going to check out the room next door,” I say, flushing a little. “How about you tell me when you’re clean?”

“You don’t like me dirty?”

“Okay,go.” I laugh, shoving him into his room. Then I open the next door down.

It’s not a big room, but there’s a queen bed and an armoire. Noah must have an en suite bathroom in his, but this one doesn’t even have a closet. The view, though, is incredible.

I walk to the window, pushing back the sheers to look at the mountains. The setting sun casts the landscape in golden light, washing over the hillside and lighting the aspens, spruces, and wildflowers.

Yawning, I leave the window and crawl onto the bed, deciding I'll just close my eyes for a bit.

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