Page 28 of Only Ever Yours
“You can talk to me, you know,” he teased after my two silent responses.
Does he mean now or about what happened with Gil?
Without elaborating on what he meant, he bit a large chunk out of my discarded burger, pushing his unlocked phone towards me. “You can check what’s going on with the accident.”
“Hmm. Don’t think you’re going to like this, though.” After about a minute, I turned the phone around to him, which said there was still recovery work going on and there was still no indication when it would be cleared. We’d already been on the road for almost four hours. Fatigue washed over me. All I wanted was my bed and some sleep.
Jase balled up the burger wrapper and dropped it into the takeaway bag. “Shit.”
“What are we going to do?”
He leaned back in his seat. “I’m not getting back into the van only to sit in a car park.”
“Me neither.”
“There’s probably a motel here. We could get a couple of rooms.”
I considered his suggestion for a moment. After everything that had happened with Gil, I didn’t really want to beon my own. “Or we could just get one. It would be cheaper.”
The words were so casual, so simple.
He raked a hand through his hair, and I could see him chewing on the inside of his cheek as he considered what I’d said. After a beat, he lifted one shoulder. “Let’s see what they’ve got.”
We stared at each other across the table. Lightning lit up the sky outside, followed by a rumble of thunder. No improvement in the road situation and no improvement in the weather either. The odds were conspiring against us.
Jase put our rubbish in the bin, and we went into the foyer of the services. Sure enough, a popular chain hotel had a place right next door. We dashed outside, trying to shelter as best we could from the rain, and headed into the hotel.
“Hello, folks. Pretty bad out there, isn’t it?” The receptionist behind the desk had clearly had the same conversation more than once this evening. “What can I do for you?”
I stepped towards the desk. “Um, we wondered if you had a room? The traffic is too bad for us to get home tonight.” I glanced nervously at Jase.
“That’s not a problem. There aren’t too many people who stay here unless they’re going to the airport for an early flight. We have availability.” The receptionist tapped on his keyboard. “I just need a few details for the booking.”
“I’ll get it.” Jase reached into his pocket for a method of payment, but I slapped his hand away.
“We’re here because you’re doing me a favour, so I’ll pay.” I gave the receptionist the information he needed, then handed over my card. Once he’d processed the payment, he gave it back, along with a keycard for the room.
“Check out is at ten-thirty in the morning. We don’toffer breakfast, but the cafés in the building next door usually open from seven. If you take the lift up to the first floor, your room is to the left.” He pointed us in the direction of the lift. “Have a good stay, and enjoy your evening.” The polite goodbye was tinged with a smirk.
“He probably thinks we’re hooking up,” I observed.
“And that’s a bad thing because…?”
“Don’t ruin it.” I punched Jase on the arm.
We headed to the lift and went up the one floor, then along to the room. I waved the key card over the panel and pushed open the door. The room was exactly as I’d expected. A large bed made up with plain white bedding, a desk with the obligatory complimentary teas and coffees, and a television.
“We should have got a twin room.” I sighed.
“Bit late now.” He shrugged, then stretched out on the bed, placing his hands behind his head. “Ah, this is more like it.”
Seeing him lying there, the realisation we were actually spending the night together hit home. Sure, absolutely no romance would be involved, but we would be sleeping next to each other.In very little clothing.
“Jase…” I put on my bestplease help mevoice. “Could you get some of my stuff from the van?” I plucked at my cardigan. “I don’t want to sleep in this.”
Without hesitating, he replied. “Sleep in your pants. It’s what I’m gonna do.”
My eyes widened. This was exactly the thing I wanted to avoid. Jase, half-naked beside me. Full-on temptation right there.
