Page 169 of Hell Hath No Fury
“You’re welcome,” he said in a gruff voice. “What hotel are you staying in?”
She rubbed her hands together, pleased they were finally warm. Even her feet felt better, the heat from beneath the dashboard doing its job. “The Four Seasons, where the class is being held.”
He let out a low whistle. “Nice.”
“Another reason I was looking forward to the weekend,” she admitted. “Can’t beat the luxuries there.”
“I’ll bet.”
A quiet few moments passed, and she squirmed in her seat, struggling to find some subject with which to make conversation when he surprised her.
“So, tell me about these classes you’re taking.”
She raised an eyebrow. “You cannot be interested in coffee-making classes.”
“I’m asking, aren’t I? It interests you, so I’m curious. Tell me,” he insisted.
She slid her tongue over her bottom lip, shocked when she glanced at him to realize he’d been sneaking a look at her, watching the movement.
“Umm… first, there’s the foam-making class.” For the next half hour, she told him in detail about each session she was scheduled to attend, and he asked questions that indicated interest.
Not just ‘pass the time’ interest but true attentiveness. Like what she said mattered. By the time they arrived in Denver,they’d had their first real conversation about various things they each enjoyed… in forever.
“What kind of music do you like?” he asked.
“Classic rock. If the station holds while we drive, I like 105.”
With a grin, he flipped on the radio, and she discovered her favorite station was set and ready to play.
Over the course of the drive, she learned some other things, too. It was one thing to think she was in love with the man because she liked his looks and appreciated the decent man he was on the inside… despite his usual surliness towards her. Quite another to have common interests.
Matt Banks shared her love of Queen, The Who, and Guns n’ Roses among other artists. She often thought she belonged in another generation. But Matt understood her appreciation of the albums from another era. And it turned out he really loved her coffee, something he admitted to her as they pulled into the front of the hotel for valet parking.
By the time they strode up to the front desk for check-in, her feelings had gone from the abstract to the tangible. Which meant she needed her space from him, and she needed it now.
She handed the front desk her license and credit card. “I’m booked through the weekend,” she said. “Harper Sanders.”
The middle-aged clerk clicked his computer keys and nodded. “Yes. You have a king bed, Ms. Sanders.”
“Thank you. I’ll need an extra room for my… friend. He came with me unexpectedly.” And she intended to pay for his room whether he liked it or not. No matter how big a dent it put in her credit card. Her room had come with the coffee class discount.
She felt the heat of Matt’s big body behind her, his tall frame looming over hers. There weren’t many men who could make Harper feel small, but Matt accomplished that feat.
The man behind the desk clicked away at his keyboard, a frown on his face, and Harper’s stomach twisted with worry. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m sorry, but we’re booked. We have a few conventions here this weekend. There are no extra rooms.” He glanced up, an apologetic look on his face.
“But—Do you have a room with two double beds?” She grasped for the next best thing.
Not ideal, considering she had no idea how she was going to share a room with Matt when all she wanted to do was climb his big body and attach herself to him. Naked.
The clerk shook his head. “No, ma’am. Again, I’m sorry.”
“But –”
Matt placed a calming hand on her shoulder, coming up beside her. “It’s fine. We’ll take the room you have and make do,” he said to the clerk, who was looking back and forth between them.
Make do.
