Page 7 of Exactly What I Needed
And I would never tell anyone.
Brushing some of my hair over my shoulder, I tapped the toe of my boot against the floor. One time, that was it.
I took a deep, reassuring breath, lifted my hand, and scanned the card. It beeped, and the light turned green.
So far, this wasn’t some prank just to see if I would turn up here. So far, this was the real thing. Twisting the golden handle, I pushed open the door and cautiously stepped inside. The room was dark, and I could barely see a thing. Fumbling for the light switch against the wall, I finally found one and flicked it on.
My jaw nearly hit the floor.
Stretching in front of me was a full-on living room. Cream couches faced a beautiful, intricate glass coffee table. Champagne sat in an ice bucket with two glasses beside it. Fresh flowers and a few potted plants sat in the corners of the room. I stepped carefully down the two steps and ran my fingers across the back of the couch in awe.
The fireplace to my left wasn’t on, nor was the television that was mounted above the black brick mantle. The door to the bathroom was back up the two steps to my right, and cracked open enough I could see just a smidge of the interior. It was bigger than any bathroom I’d ever owned for my personal use before. The porcelain tub stood alone beside an open shower concept. White, clean, and sparkling. It was all elegant.
I continued to meander past the living area and rounded the corner to stop full force. Floor-to-ceiling windows stretched before me with theglittering lights of the city beyond them. The view was incredible. Absolutely stunning, despite my love of living in a smaller town, the city was undeniably gorgeous. I couldn’t deny how intricate it all looked.
The massive California king bed to my right was untouched, white silk sheets clean and unstained, stretched across it. The kitchen behind me, on the other hand, was filled to the brim with what looked to be gifts. I wandered toward the unopened boxes, stacked on the chairs and table and counters.
Running my hand across the top of the cardboard, I glanced at the labels. Most of them were made out to names I recognized: Void, The Reaper, Soul Shredder, Slayer, or Dark Banshee. Some of them were even made out to their real names. My eyes landed on one I hadn’t heard yet: Asher. Asher Stone. I liked that. It was powerful and strong. Maybe that was his?
Sighing, I looked around once more, a little disappointed.
He wasn’t here. Nobody was.
How desperate would I look if I waited? Probably very desperate.
Walking back toward the coffee table, I placed the keycard down and pulled my phone out. Erasing the original message, rejecting him entirely, I typed out a new one.
I left your room key on the coffee table.
That was it.
My thumb once again hovered over the send button. Strange that I felt so put out that he wasn’t here. That I’d been, I guess, stood up. Maybe unintentionally, but all the same, he’d not shown up. I thought I would bemore angry than disappointed, but I apparently was not. Maybe because there was a small amount of relief mixed in with it all?
“Well, I guess that’s it,” I muttered to myself and finally hit send. Stuffing the phone into my pocket, I looked up just as the lock disengaged on the door.
I stared at the handle, my heart nearly plummeting to the floor as it swung open, and in stalked the very man I’d thought wasn’t coming. It closed quietly behind him, and he paused. His eyes met mine, fiercely piercing into my soul.
Wrapping my arms around my body, I swallowed sharply as a hungry grin stretched across his most delicious lips. Could I be attracted to a mouth?
“Did you wait long? The last group at the meet and greet refused to leave,” he said casually, breaking the silence, but he didn’t walk any closer. He shoved his hands in his pockets and remained still.
I slowly shook my head.
His smile softened. “If you don’t want to do this, all you have to say is no. I won’t be offended.”
I was scared. He wasn’t supposed to have shown up. I’d already felt a smidge of relief amongst the disappointment. I’d already accepted that I was burned. But instead, he was patiently waiting by the door.
“I’m here, aren’t I?” I responded, my voice squeaking.
He chuckled, and it rumbled in his chest. Deep and gravelly, just like his singing voice. “That you are,” he whispered.
I took a hesitant step forward. The smile slipped from his face as his gaze raked across my figure. It dripped with a primal desire that was so intense, I thought I’d burst into flames.
“What’s your name?” he asked, and I furrowed my brows.
“What?”
“What’s your name?” he asked again.
