Page 9 of Tall, Dark & Horny

“You looked like you needed it.”

“That was very kind of you.” I cut into my chicken to mask the trembling of my fingers. “And unexpected.”

“You’ll find The Abyss is full of surprises.”

“That’s certainly been my experience during the short time I’ve been here.”

We ate in companionable silence for a few minutes. The food was divine, and I was far too hungry to pretend otherwise. But as I chewed another bite of peas, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Adan was studying me with more intensity than he let on.

When we were ready to move onto dessert, he filled my glass with a splash of the honey-infused whiskey. I took a small sip, enjoying the warmth that rushed to my belly. The liquor was the perfect accompaniment to the rich chocolate tart, but I couldn’t gulp it down. My tolerance was low on the best of nights, and this one had been anything but normal.

Drinking at all under these circumstances—in a strange place with a man I’d just met—wasn’t something I would usually do. But something about being here with Adan made me feel safe. Not just the physical comfort of being in a luxurious hotel far from the storm, but a strange sense of protection that I didn’t quite know how to explain. It hummed beneath the surface of my skin like a low vibration, steady and sure.

“You okay?” Adan asked.

I nodded quickly. “Yeah. Sorry, just thinking.”

“About?”

I hesitated. “Honestly? One of the things I’m wondering about is how much this room is going to cost me.”

His brow arched slightly. “Worried it’ll blow your budget?”

“You’re assuming there was a budget in the first place.” I flashed him a sheepish smile and swept my hand in a half circle to gesture toward the high-end furnishings of the massive suite. “And considering how fancy everything is, I expect to get a bill that makes my credit card weep.”

Adan chuckled, the deep sound curling low in my stomach. “You don’t need to worry about that happening.”

I squinted at him. “That’s a comforting answer with exactly zero details.”

“I guess you’ll have to trust me.”

“I’m not usually great at relying on strangers,” I admitted with a soft laugh. “Especially mysterious ones who show up at my hotel room with dinner after dark.”

He tilted his head. “Yet here you are, enjoying dessert with me after our shared meal and drinking whiskey that could drop a lesser mortal.”

“Touché.” I laughed and took another sip. “Do you always treat lost guests like royalty?”

His gaze never wavered. “Only the special ones.”

My throat went dry. “That’s a very smooth answer.”

“I never gave it to anyone before. Just you because I don’t say things I don’t mean.”

My cheeks heated again, but not from embarrassment this time. I shifted in my chair, caught between flustered and fascinated.

Before I could think of something clever to say, a low chime sounded from the hallway. It was barely audible but still clear. Adan frowned and tilted his head, as though he was listening to something I couldn’t hear.

“What was that?” I asked, glancing toward the door.

He blinked and offered a neutral smile. “Just part of the building’s internal alert system. Nothing to worry about.”

That sounded a little more intense than your typical fire alarm. But I let it go. For now, at least.

“You said The Abyss is full of surprises,” I said, trying to lighten the mood again. “Anything else I should know during my short time here?”

Adan leaned back slightly in his chair, his expression unreadable. Although I had the odd sense that he wasn’t happy with my mention of not being here for long. “That depends on how open you are to having your view of the world turned upside down.”

My heart gave a funny little skip. “I’ve traveled all over. Nothing really shocks me anymore.”

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