Page 37 of Stripped

He shut up, but amusement was dancing in his eyes and his lips were twitching. I didn't care. I listened to the nearly silent whir of the gears as the elevator rose. The car bumped to a stop and the doors opened. I sighed, my middle sinking back to where it belonged. “I love that feeling.”

We stepped off the elevator and I turned to face him. “I know I've gotten to push all the buttons so far, but do you think I could have the key? I love opening hotel room doors.”

He handed over the key and I followed the helpful arrows on the wall to our room. One quick in and out slide of the key, the green light flashed, and I opened the door. For just a moment, I paused in the entryway. The room was cool and dark and I breathed in the scent of fabric softener with that faint underlying hint of bleach. I couldn't contain my smile.

I flicked on the light and raced for the nearest bed. I threw myself on it and bounced on the heavenly, fluffy, clean-smelling—

“You know, they don't wash—”

“Shut it,” I said. “No one has ever died from hotel germs. Just let me enjoy this.”

I spread-eagled myself on the bed and sighed.

He sat on the edge of the other bed and watched me. “I take it you like hotels.”

“I love hotels. I caught a whiff of chlorine on the way in, is there a pool here?” The hotel pool on my family vacation had been almost as much fun as the lake we'd been there to visit.

“Wishful thinking. No pool. I thought you were tired?”

“We don't check out until ten, right? Time for a swim in the morning.” I huffed, annoyed at the lack of a pool. “I can use the hotel fitness room.”

He dipped his head to the right, looking at me like a confused dog would. “Do you work out every morning?”

I rolled my eyes. “I dance for a living. I don't work out.” Okay, I used to dance for a living. I probably should have some sort of exercise routine, but I never had the time and it was so deadly boring.

His head dropped so far to the side his ear touched his shoulder. “So, why are you planning to go to the gym?”

“Because I can,” I said, speaking slow so he'd understand, since he seemed to be having trouble understanding English.

“Right.” His head popped up to his normal upright posture and he pulled his phone out of his back pocket. “I'm going to order pizza. I'm assuming you want the vegetarian.”

I screwed up my face. “Ugh, no. I'm not a big fan of vegetables.”

He stared again, like he didn't understand me. “You're a vegetarian.”

“Which means I don't eat meat. No one said I had to eat vegetables to be a vegetarian.”

“So, what do you eat?”

I shrugged, snuggling down farther into the comfy bed, feeling sleepy. “Lots of cheese, organic of course. Beans and bread stuff. You know, rice, pasta, bread, mostly pasta and bread.”

“So, you want a plain old cheese pizza?”

“Perfect,” I said with a sigh. “You call it in, I'm going to get into my pajamas.”

I grabbed my bag and headed to the bathroom. I loved the tiny soaps and shampoo bottles. The shampoo smelled a bit like wet dog, but I didn't care because it was free. I brushed my teeth, washed my face, and got into my snuggly pajamas, because I wanted to be ready to fall asleep whenever I felt like it. Comfy and warm, I hurried back out to my heavenly bed.

Except Zane was in my heavenly bed. He was snuggled down under the comforter and he had the T.V. remote in his hand. I stopped and drew in several deep breaths and counted to ten in my head. He didn't know the rules. I couldn't attack him for not knowing the rules.

“You okay?” he asked, looking over at me.

“I claimed that bed.”

He grinned. “I know. I like to cuddle while I watch free hotel cable.”

“I don't cuddle in hotels. I like to spread out and cuddling sounds like a relationship sort of thing to do and I already told you—”

“We can't have a relationship,” he said, his grin slipping only the tiniest bit. “I'm not forgetful. Just come over here and give it a try. If you don't like it, I'll go back to my own bed.”

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