Page 29 of I Can't Help It

“This is it.”

You’d think an ax-murderer was waiting inside to kill us by the look on Luke’s face.

A few awkward as heck moments go by with the both of us just standing there until I finally give his arm a little poke. “Are we going in?”

“Yep,” he rasps out the word. “Yep, let’s go in.”

He uses his room key to unlock the door, and hearing that click is oddly satisfying.

We’re about to be in the same hotel room.

No one pinch me.

Luke steps aside so I can enter the room first, which I do, and then he joins me a second later. The room has a comfy, cabin-like vibe to it with a kitchenette on the right-hand side and wooden floating shelves across from that. Farther into the room is an armoire, a coffee table, and a couch. Also, shoutout to the burnt-orange throw blanket folded up on the couch because it looks SO FREAKING SOFT! A mid-sized TV is mounted above a low dresser, and there’s a bed—

There’s only one bed.

One. Bed.

I will not gasp, I will not gasp, I will not gasp.

It makes sense that Luke got a room for himself without an extra bed, but it didn’t even cross my mind as a possibility. No wonder he’s so anxious about us sharing the room.

BECAUSE THERE’S ONLY ONE BED!

“I know neither of us were planning on this,” he says with a heavy sigh, “but we can be professional about staying in the same room…right? I’ll make sure not to invade your space and I’m going to take the couch.”

Of course, he would say that. This is Luke we’re talking about. He’d probably insist on taking the floor if there wasn’t a couch, and the floor isn’t even carpeted.

“I’m okay with us sharing the room,” I tell him, popping my ice pack into the mini fridge. “But you’re not sleeping on the couch, I am.”

His eyebrows crease at me. “And how exactly did you come to that conclusion?”

“This was supposed to be your room,” I state in a matter-of-fact way. “So, it only makes sense that I—the intruder—sleep on the couch.”

To emphasize my point, I flop onto the couch and stretch out across its cushions. I also get my hands on the throw blanket, which is even fluffier than I was expecting, and there should honestly be a law that all throw blankets need to feel like this one.

“Ava, there’s no way I’m letting you take the couch.”

His tone is gentle, but also firm and definitive. The unexpected combo has my heart fluttering. Only Luke could be bossy in a nice way.

And I am here for it.

“Let’s not worry about that for right now.” I flash him a slight smile. “Besides, it’s not like we’re going to sleep yet.”

“Ava—”

“The balcony!” I exclaim, scrambling to my feet. “I almost forgot!”

Realizing that there was only one bed distracted me, but now I walk over to the sliding glass door and ease it open so I can step outside.

“Luke, you have to see this view!”

I bet it’s amazing to watch sunrises and sunsets from up here. One of those rocking chairs definitely has my name on it.

Luke joins me on the balcony, giving an appreciative nod as he looks around. “Wow.”

“I know,” I say, letting out a content sigh. “I feel so calm and relaxed, don’t you?”

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