Page 29 of A Night of Indulgence and Sloth
“It’s Calantha, do you mind?” she asks, sheepishly.
“Not at all. I’ll go get us checked in.” I grab our bags from the trunk and head inside the rustic-style house that’s so refreshingly different from anything you’d find in New York.
A middle-aged woman wearing an apron with what must be flour dusted along her nose approaches. “Hi, honey, what can I do ya for?”
“Just checking in. There should be two rooms for Aiden Daniels and Liliana Sinclair.”
The woman opens up a thick worn book and flips through it while Liliana approaches us with a smile. “There you are. Aiden and Liliana.” Digging through a drawer, she pulls out a key and places it on the counter in front of us.
“This key will open both of our rooms?” Liliana asks politely.
“Oh no, dear. There’s only one room.”
Her face falls, though the woman in front of us doesn’t seem to notice, or maybe she just doesn’t care.
“What do you mean? When I called, I booked two rooms. No one mentioned there only being one available.”
The woman’s brows crease slightly. “I’m sorry, sugar. We only have the one, I’m afraid. Will you be taking it?”
Liliana turns her questioning gaze to me, and I shrug, careful to keep my expression neutral. She didn’t need to know how fast my heart was beating at the thought of sharing a room with her. “If you’re uncomfortable, I’m sure we can find another place to stay.”
She hesitates, drawing her lower lip between her teeth and igniting a fire inside of me that I struggle to keep hidden.
“You’d best keep the room, dear. We’ve had to turn away several visitors looking for rooms already. With that marathon happening this week, all the hotels are booked right up.”
Liliana takes a deep breath, straightening her back as she prepares for her next words. “It’s fine. We’ll make it work. Thank you so much for your help.”
“Oh, good! Down the hall, last door on your left. I’ve got cookies baking in the oven now, and breakfast starts at eight. If you need anything, just holler.”
When my new roommate for the night reaches for the handle of her bag, I shake my head. “I’ve got these if you can handle the door?”
“I think I can manage,” she says sardonically. I follow her down the hall until we reach the last door on the left. Inside lies a cozy room with a king-sized bed as the focal point. The cushioned headboard and plush pillows look incredibly inviting, and I can’t stop from picturing Liliana lying on top, clad in nothing but a smile as she invites me to join her. Fuck. Tonight is going to be harder than I thought. I avert my gaze, catching sight of a flat screen T.V. hanging on the wall opposite the bed with a compact dresser below it.
The room is small, but cozy. Certainly not meant for two strangers to share, though that’s not what we are. At least, not to me.
What the room lacks in size, the bathroom more than makes up for. A large soaker tub sits in one corner and a decentlysized shower in the other. On the bathroom counter is a basket of handmade soap and other locally made toiletries. They might not be great with communication, but this place really knows how to class up a room.
Attempting to curb the desire in my veins, I set our bags on the floor by the window and turn to face the woman who holds every ounce of my attention.
Liliana
Awkward as hell.
That’s the only way to describe my current evening. Aiden has been nothing but a gentleman, yet I can’t help but stare at the bed and imagine all the things we could be doing in it. How was I supposed to sleep beside him after everything that’s happened?
He had stepped away to make a few phone calls, and I’m struggling to compose myself while he’s gone. I’m a grown woman. I should be able to handle sharing a bed with a man. Even if he’s also my incredibly attractive boss who’s already known me in the most intimate ways.Not helping, Lil.
As a distraction, I turn the television on and try to focus on a show. It’s about a woman covered in tattoos who finds herself naked and alone in the middle of Times Square without a single memory of who she is. Under different circumstances, I’d likely be consumed by the plot, but not tonight.
Aiden returns to find me lounging on the bed, surrounded by pillows as I lean against the headboard. He removes his shoes and suit jacket, loosens his tie, then matches my position onthe bed. We sit in silence as we watch the Jane Doe character struggle to remember her past. I try so fucking hard to ignore the weight of the man beside me, especially when his arm brushes against mine and the warmth of him seeps into my skin.
He clears his throat. “This might not be the best time for us to discuss this, but I’ve put it off long enough already.”
I don’t bother looking at him. I can already guess what he wants to talk about, though I’m not against pretending I don’t.
“Cryptic, but alright. What do you want to discuss?”
He grabs the remote off the bed, turning the volume down before setting it on the bedside table. I shift my attention to an invisible spot on the wall, not trusting myself to meet his gaze. I’ve never been very good with face-to-face confrontation, at least not for my benefit. If Calantha was involved, I had the strength of a thousand warriors and I would tear the universe apart to protect her. But for myself… hiding behind a phone or computer was so much easier than looking someone in the eye.I know, I know. I’m a coward.
