Page 17 of Blind Trust
He’d thought convincing her would be a lot harder.
They reached the next hotel later than he’d planned. The only room available for them was a room with a king-sized bed on the second floor.
Not what he had planned, at all.
Cecelia could hearthe frustration in his voice as he tried to get them another room.
There was some kind of event in town, and all the local hotels were full.
He’d started to argue with the front desk clerk, when Cecelia reached for his arm and tugged to get his attention. “It’s okay,” she said. “Take the room.”
“Fine,” he said. Then to the desk clerk, he said, “Can I get a cot?”
“We don’t have any left,” the clerk said. “Sorry.”
“We don’t need one,” Cecelia said. “There’s no reason we can’t share the king.” She could feel his gaze upon her, though he didn’t say a word. She wondered what he was thinking.
He paid for the room, and then asked if there was an elevator.
There was not.
“It’s fine,” Cecelia said. “I can manage stairs. No biggie.”
Outside, they walked to the truck.
“I’ll sleep on the floor,” he said.
“No, I’m not having you sleep on the floor,” she said. “And I’m not going to argue with you about it. That’s silly.”
They stopped at the truck, and he got their bags out.
“It’s not silly. It’s respectful.”
“No, it’s silly,” she said. “Unless you don’t think you can keep your hands off me, if we share a king-sized bed. They’re pretty big beds, you know, and I’m not a large woman. In fact, you might have trouble finding me in such a big bed. Which is why it’s silly to sleep on the floor. Those beds are huge.”
“I’m not going to argue with you about this,” he said.
“Good, then you’ll sleep on the bed,” she said. “You do know I sleep on a single bed at the ranch, right? Even the queens and doubles seem big to me after my bed. Please share the king with me.”
“Fine,” he said.
Brian began to sweat.She had no idea what she was asking. Sleeping in the same bed next to her, with her soft curves and sweet face, her unique scent which he found so enticing, her soft snores telling him she slept, and the way she sighed in her sleep, he’d be lucky if he got any sleep at all.
But she wanted him there, so he would do it.
“Thank you,” she said. “I’ll sleep better now.”
I’m glad one of us will, he thought.
Too bad she can’t take a turn driving. A six-hour drive won’t be easy if I don’t get enough sleep.
Maybe she’ll share one of those melatonin pills she takes. She said they’re all natural and not habit-forming, so it can’t hurt to try one.
Going up the stairs was a slow process, as she found her way up by herself.
He’d have liked to have carried her up, to get her in the room faster, but he had both their suitcases in his hands, and she wouldn’t have gone for him carrying her up anyway.
He realized his lack of sleep from the night before was making him impatient and cranky.
