Page 48 of Only Ever Yours
“Okay, well, far be it from me to stand in the way of true love.” Finn got up and went towards the kitchen. “I’ll see if Liam fancies it instead.”
Once he was out of the room, Jase finally looked up, his eyes darkening as he swept his gaze over me. I wore a dark green lace dress, with a keyhole neckline, which clung to my body and finished at the knee. Teamed with a pair of black heels, it was very different to what I wore on a day-to-day basis. My hair was pulled into a messy updo, with tendrils framing my face.
“Fuck.” He hissed. “You really expect me not to want to rip that thing off your body and devour every inch of you?”
I squeezed my thighs together, his words combined with his intense scrutiny already making me wet. I could sense he was itching to get up and come towards me, but it would be way too risky. “Not here.”
“Obviously. It doesn’t stop me thinking about it, though.” He jabbed a finger at his temple. “Which is all I’ve been doing the past few days.”
“Soon you won’t have to.”And it will be a reality,I added silently.
Finn came back into the room, a can of beer in one hand. “You two still here? Looks like I’ll be out before both of you. Liam’s going to come over in twenty minutes.”
My phone vibrated with a message, and I glanced down at the screen. “My taxi’s here. I’ll see you guys sometime tomorrow.”
“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” teased Finn while Jase growled at his comment.
Without a backwards glance, I headed out of the house and got into the taxi. Within seconds, I had another message.
Jase
Don’t expect to get any sleep tonight xx
A smile crossed my face, which didn’t go unnoticed by the driver.
“Hot date tonight, love?”
“You could say that.”
It didn’t take us long to get to The Rosegate, a recently renovated, luxury hotel on the outskirts of Maplebrook. Again, we’d chosen it deliberately in the likelihood we wouldn’t bump into anyone we knew. It had a restaurant and the spa I’d told Finn about, but I doubted Jase and I would get to spend much time in the latter.
I went inside, marvelling at the vaulted ceilings and elaborate interior. It had previously been a Shire Hall for the county, and the renovation work had been completed to a ridiculously high standard. For a moment, I felt like I didn’t belong there, a feeling that intensified as I approached the reception desk. The receptionist, a perfectly made-up blonde in a smart, tailored jacket, gave me an almost robotic smile.
“Good evening, how can I help?”
“I, we, um, have a room booked.” Suddenly overcome with nerves, I could barely string a sentence together.This is really happening.
“Of course, what’s the name on the booking?”
“It’s Dillon.” Jase had made the reservation and insisted on paying. When I’d tried to pay half, he insisted it wasn’tromantic, and it would be his treat. Eventually, I’d given up arguing with him. I was sure I could think of a way to repay him.
“Jason Dillon?” I didn’t miss the once-over the receptionist gave me, making me feel even less like I belonged there.
“That’s right. He’s my…” Once again, I ground to a halt, unsure how to describe what was going on between me and Jase. We hadn’t placed any kind of label on it yet even though we both knew neither of us was planning on seeing other people anymore. Seeing a frown flit across her face—what business was it of hers anyway?—I straightened my shoulders. “He’s my boyfriend. It’s a treat for our anniversary.” Inwardly, I giggled. Who even celebrated a week’s anniversary anyway?
“Of course.” The receptionist visibly softened. “And what a lovely thing to do.” She tapped on her keyboard, then pulled a keycard from a drawer beside her, swiping it through the machine on the desk. “There you go. It’s room one-four-two on the second floor. If you take the lift, it’s to the right.”
I followed her directions to the glass lift shaft that appeared to run the full height of the building, admiring the artwork on the way. The last time I’d been anywhere like this, I’d been with Gil.
Fuck.
Where did that thought spring up from?
I’m about to spend the night with Jase for the first time, and the person who pops into my head is my crazy stalker ex?
I’m putting it down to first-night jitters.
I easily found our room, an understated sign to the left of the door showing the number. Waving the keycard over the lock, it clicked open, and I entered. Almost immediately,I gasped. The room was stunning, decorated in a pale blue, which could have been considered cold, but in reality, seemed calming. The curtains and bedspread were in a darker, almost navy-blue colour, which accented the cooler shade well. A huge super-king-sized bed dominated one side of the room, with a dressing table opposite and to one side. The windows were floor-to-ceiling with blinds to give a little privacy and had a view out over the park. I couldn’t believe Jase had found something so beautiful.
