Page 20 of Verses Of Us

“Yes, hello, this is the front desk. Someone is here for Mr. Hewson… Her name is Alexis.” The woman smiled with a nod before hanging up. “He’ll be right down.”

“Thank you.” Alexis forced a shaky smile, relieved she wouldn’t have to go up to Ciarán’s room after all, then backed away from the front desk, trying to escape the woman’s unspoken judgments in her levelling glare.

Crossing the marble floors lined with gold, people passed her by, dressed in suits and expensive looking outfits, only stoking her insecurity.

“Lex!” Ciarán’s voice echoed across the lobby.

Startled, but in the best way possible, a tingle shot down her spine. With a hop in his step, he rushed over, his hands landing on her shoulders. He grinned, leaning in and kissed both her cheeks. Fresh from the shower, his hair was still damp, and he smelled of soap.

“You made it,” he chimed.

“You didn’t think I would?”

He shrugged, running a hand through his hair, giving it a little shake. “Figured your mother had you under lockdown.”

She ignored the pang of guilt his joke created in her stomach and forced a small laugh.

He glanced at his watch. “It’s a bit early for dinner, but we could go to the shops.”

“You want to go shopping?” Unable to hide her surprise, she frowned. She wasn’t sure what she had expected, but shopping wasn’t it.

“Sure, and then we’ll grab a bite. What do you say?”

She assumed a good night’s rest was to blame for his cheeriness. Without giving too much thought to the possibilities of them alone in a hotel room, she knew being in public with Ciarán would be wiser.

“Sounds good.”

As if he’d done it a million times before, he stretched his hand out, palm up, waiting for hers.

“Aren’t we going out?” she asked when he led her to the elevator.

“Yes, but not by the front.” He jerked his head toward the entrance. Too preoccupied by their date, she’d thought nothing of the few fans standing by the doors when she arrived. “They’ve been coming and going for two days.”

In the basement garage, the same driver who had driven her home twelve hours prior greeted them. Last night seemed so long ago, not only a matter of hours. He opened the back passenger door and Alexis offered him a shy smile as she slid across the black leather seat, Ciarán right behind her.

“Where to, Mr. Jones?” the driver asked over his shoulder when he got behind the wheel.

Ciarán looked over. “Know any good shops around here?”

Clueless, Alexis stared back. Comfortable in baggy jeans and t-shirts, Alexis wasn’t aware of theItplaces to shop and left that to Julie.

“I have no idea. I mean, I doubt you’d want to go where I usually do.”

“Any suggestions, Steve?”

“Yes, sir.” With a nod, the driver headed out of the underground garage, pulling into the rush hour traffic.

Ciarán dropped his hand onto the seat, right next to hers. Their pinkies touched, and she reached over, taking his hand. When she looked up, she found him staring at her, and that same tingly feeling returned, this time not just on her lips, but all over her body.

MAD DASH

Alexis

“Um,Ciarán?”Alexisspoketo the changing room door, a bag containing a blue blouse and some silver bangles hanging from her wrist.

“Yes, Lex?”

“There’s a crowd outside.”

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