Page 25 of Drifting Hearts
“We’ll take our chances, thanks. Just point us in the right direction.”
“I’ll do you one better and give you two a lift. Your boyfriend looks like he’s about to fall over.”
Clayton linked his good arm through mine. “Yes, dear, let’s get a ride from the lovely policeman.”
Fully aware that he was joking around and trying to lighten the mood, I played into it. Because why not? I was tired and grumpy, but that didn’t mean I had to take it out on Clayton. He’d been a trooper through the whole ordeal this afternoon, but he was looking pale and barely on his feet.
“Looks like we’re staying the night, dear.” I helped Clayton to the police car and insisted he take the front seat, leaving me to sit in the back. The hotel really was just around the corner and the officer hopped out to open the back door to let me out of the back.
The hotel was clean and smelled like lemon furniture polish. A woman with a bun of an impressive size sat behind the counter. “What can I do for you?”
“We need rooms for the night. Maybe two. I don’t know. My truck was stolen and we’re stranded for the time being.”
“Oh, dear.” The girl with the name tag that read Macy clicked away on her keyboard. “The festival starts tomorrow so everything is full. I have… I have one room.”
“We’ll take it,” I said. The cop already thought we were boyfriends and I hadn’t corrected him. Sharing a room wasn’t a big deal. It was either that or call Shane to come get us. I pulled out my credit card and handed it over. A few minutes later, with a room key in hand, Clayton and I made our way over to the elevator. The building only had two floors, but he wasn’t in any shape to take the stairs.
“Does this whole stolen truck, one room at the hotel adventure make you want to rethink your road trip plans?” Clayton asked.
“Never let a little thing like a stolen truck get you down.” Unlocking the door to the room, I stepped through and held it open for Clayton. “I’ll take the couch.”
“That’ll be a neat trick,” Clayton said, motioning to the room where a queen-size bed sat.
There was a desk and a chair, and instead of a couch, a single dark-green wingback chair sat staring at me. Taunting me.
“The floor, then.” It was going to be a long night.
“We’re both adults, Kieran. We can share a bed.”
I wanted him to say my name again. Sharing a bed was going to be a problem, but not for the reasons he was thinking. Despite my best efforts to ignore it, an attraction had sneaked up on me. Clayton had stopped being an annoyance in my life and instead he’d turned into… a friend? Were we friends?
Well, at the very least, we were two adults who were apparently going to share a bed.
Chapter 13
Clayton
The hotel room wasn’tanything special, but having Kieran there with me made my skin sing. Every hair on my body stood on end. But now wasn’t the time to think about my neglected dick or my sad-as-fuck love life. Scratch that, my non-existent love life.
“I’m sorry about your truck.” Unable to keep myself on my feet for another minute, I went over to the bed, kicked off my shoe, and sat down. I chose the side I’d intended to sleep on, one that would keep my broken arm at the edge of the bed and not in the middle where it could get bumped. I felt Kieran’s eyes on me as I stretched out, not bothering to fight with the walking boot just yet.
“It’s just a truck. It’s not ideal, but I’ll live.”
“You’re way calmer than I would be.”
Kieran seemed glued in place. He’d barely made it three steps into the room. I couldn’t imagine him not being as worn out as I was.
“Why don’t you sit down? Or stretch out?” I patted the empty space next to me. “We can watch TV and relax for a while. Maybe the cops will find your truck.”
Kieran stepped out of his shoes. “It’s a nice thought, but I’ll be surprised if they do. And who knows what kind of shape it’ll be in.”
Somewhat tentatively, Kieran took the other side of the bed and grabbed the remote off his nightstand. Turning the TV on, he brought up the on-screen guide. “What do you like to watch?”
“I don’t really have a preference, but I’ve never met a sitcom I liked.”
Kieran picked a home and garden channel that was running aChoppedmarathon.
“I love this show.” His voice was tinted with apology, like he was sorry for liking something and subjecting me to it.
