Page 20 of Too Much In Common
One held up his phone. “Bless the people in scheduling, they found rooms for us in a five-star. I guess the passengers filled up most of the rooms in town.”
A bounce returned to Tian’s step. She’d been dreading getting the dregs of whatever Spokane offered. The cabin crew had left an hour ago and booked the last three rooms at one of the standard hotels. Although the union and the airlines had an agreement about what were acceptable accommodations, the availability clause often meant that a lesser room could be chosen in emergency situations.
The hotel was larger than she expected. She stood in line with the others for her room keys. The pasted-on smiles of the front desk staff told her this had not been an easy evening for them either.
“Name?”
“Christian Johnson.”
“I don’t have a room for you.”
“What?”
The man behind the counter tapped his keyboard. As the last pilots got their keys, the lines on either side of her shrunk. The man behind the counter went into the back room.
Captain Cook stopped. “Problem?”
“I’m sure they’ll figure it out in a minute.”
“Some of us are going out for dinner. Do you want to join us?” He put his hands up. “Not a pickup line. Only a group of hungry aviators.”
“No, thanks. I have a headache, and I packed my dinner.”
“See you in the morning then.”
The desk agent returned with an older woman. She took over his keyboard. “There it is. Christian Johnson, just like I told you.”
“But—”
The woman cut him off with a glare. “Sorry about the wait, Captain.”
“I’m a First Officer. Still earning my stripes.”
“But you’re a pilot, though, right?”
“Yes.” Tian took the offered key.
“Have a good evening.”
The elevator doors closed, and she stretched her arms, not caring that security probably monitored her. The hallway carpet was unexpectedly plush and devoid of the petri dish-style patterns found in so many hotels. Tian tapped the key card on the lock and opened the door.
A country song played. Someone must have set the radio alarm wrong. She pulled her suitcase into the room and set it on the luggage stand. As unlikely as a room in a five-star was to have bedbugs, she always checked first. Tian yanked off the covers on the bottom corner. No signs of the obnoxious little creatures. Once bitten, twice or twenty times cautious. While tucking the sheets back in, she heard a noise behind her and realized the music had stopped. She whirled around and screamed at the towel-clad man exiting the bathroom area.
“What are you doing in my room?” Their questions mingled.
From his wet hair and bare torso, it was very obvious what Chris had been doing. Fortunately for both of them, the hotel also provided larger than standard towels. Someone pounded on the door connecting to an adjoining room.
Chris knocked back twice.
“What—” Tian needed answers. Many women probably had a fantasy of having a hot guy walk out of their shower, but not her. At least not until now.
“Hold that thought.” Chris stepped back into the bathroom and slammed the door. Tian bit her lip, not sure if she should laugh or not. Obviously, there had been a mix-up at the registration desk. She crossed the room and sat in the chair next to the windows, closed her eyes, and kneaded her temples.
Chris emerged a moment later clad in a pair of black sweats and a gray t-shirt, typing on his phone. “Obviously, they gave you a key to my room.”
“Or they gave you a key to mine.”
He shook his head and pointed to the door. “Mrs. Ogilvie’s suite. It was Dana pounding on the door.”
