Page 25 of Best Year Ever
I let out a deep breath, holding eye contact. “Honestly, yeah. Landon, I can’t do this though. You already know why.”
“I do know why,” he acknowledges. “But we have this night. We don’t know when we’ll be able to see each other again. Why not enjoy this time we do have?”
I look at him, considering. My attraction to him is undeniable. Nothing has changed my opinion that he seems like a genuinely great guy. Why deprive myself of this?
“One night?”
“One night. Then you go off and crush your tournaments. No distractions from me. Other than maybe some funny memes and stories in your texts.”
At the subject of texts, he adds, obviously remembering our history with them, “assuming you are good with staying in touch.”
“Yeah, yeah, I won’t do the ghosting thing again,” I agree, pretty sure I wouldn’t want to ignore him again anyway.
“So—?“
“Let’s go to my room,” I say.
CHAPTER 10
Landon
Bless Grace, who’d already put one of my cards on file for dinner and told the hotel manager to tip the server 25% with it as well. Because before Rori can change her mind, we’re going to her room.
Rori gathers her purse, and I put out my right hand as we both stand up. She looks at it for a beat and then slips her left hand into it.
The softness of her hand is strikingly different from my rougher skin, but then I remember that she has callouses like me on her dominant hand, her right, which holds her racquet. Something distinctly Rori, strong and determined athlete that she is.
We stride to the elevator, and a hotel staffer is there, clearly anticipating that we may be wrapping up soon.
“To the penthouse,” Rori says to her, and the elevator takes off for the brief trip.
“Nice perk with the penthouse,” I observe with eyebrows waggling.
“Apparently it wasn’t booked tonight, so my publicist had them upgrade me in exchange for some social media content,” she explains.
“That’s the way to do it,” I reply.
The “ding” goes off quickly, and we step out of the elevator, which opens up to the living space of the penthouse. The décor is veryupscale Florida. Creams, mint green, and marble are throughout the open-concept living room, which has four distinct spaces to lounge. I see a sliding door that leads out to a balcony, as well as windows showcasing insane views in several directions.
“It really feels like a waste to barely have spent time in here,” Rori observes, our hands dropping while we look around.
“So let’s make up for that,” I suggest with a wink.
She rolls her eyes and giggles, but also brushes her hand around my arm and back as she walks by me. I shiver involuntarily and watch her walk into the kitchen.
“I’m going to have a vitamin-infused water that my trainer mixes for me. Do you want another beer from the minifridge?”
“No, enough beer from the night,” I say, shaking my head. “Can I try that vitamin drink?”
She nods and grabs me one. The last thing I want is to be three beers in with her not drinking at all.
“Should we go check out the balcony?” she asks.
“Absolutely,” I respond quickly, thrilled to experience the beauty of the nighttime sky again with her, this time in total privacy.
Are you turning into a romantic?I ask myself. And a half-chuckle, half-hmmm comes out.
“What?” Rori asks curiously.
