Page 12 of Trials of a One Night Stand
“It is.” She smiles, loosening the knot in my gut. “Don’t worry. I know what this is, Nathaniel.”
As the wind toys with her hair, I push away strands from her face. “Okay, but I don’t want you to feel like this is just a quick fuck. And I certainly don’t want either of us to be in the position where we feel the need to give each other a fake number or have to sneak out. It’s not like that at all.”
“No one wants to worry about awkward conversations in the morning. Let’s take it for what it is, and I don’t know…” She glances around and points at the hotel next to the bar. “Get a room.”
Relief washes over me. I want to have sex with her so badly my dick hurts. I also don’t want to make excuses as to why I won’t see her again, so I’m glad she understands.
I head toward the hotel next door, where a uniformed bellhop nods to us. “I’m paying.”
She hesitates. “I can afford it.”
“I’m sure you can, but I want to pay.”
As we go through the door, I clasp her hand tighter and lead her toward the reception desk of the small boutique hotel. She giggles. “Wow, so romantic.”
“I know.” I flash a charming grin her way. “That's why I’m so popular with the ladies.”
As we wait for the man standing in front of us to check in, I finally have the chance to kiss her. Not the full on, tongues and passionate hands sort of kiss I’m desperate for. This one is chaste and at the edge of her mouth, but it’s a taste of her warmth and sweetness—a promise of what’s to come.
“Evening, sir,” a bored-looking twentysomething wearing round gold-rimmed glasses says with a closed-mouth smile. “How can I help you?”
“Hi. We’d like a room please.” I use my CEO trying to woo the stockholders voice. “A king or queen would be preferred.”
“Only one bed is necessary,” Jayne adds, and it’s all I can do not to kiss her again. She’s exactly what I need tonight.
The clerk raises a brow and lowers his gaze to the screen in front of him. “One night?”
“Please.” I glance at Jayne who clings to my hand with both of hers. She’s tapping her foot and staring at the ornate ceiling.
“Will that be a full night?” the guy asks wryly.
Seriously, how the fuck does this guy keep his job? Rude fucker.
“Is he implying I’m a—”
“No, darling,” I say even though I’m not sure what the guy means, but our nannies brought us boys up to be polite, even if Ashton pushes the line sometimes. I look at the clerk. “Why wouldn’t we be staying the full night?”
He sneers. “No reason, sir, but you don’t have any luggage.”
I shake my head. “It got lost on our connecting flight.”
Jayne sighs exaggeratedly. “I’m so devastated. My Prada handbag is in my suitcase. Thank goodness I didn’t pack my jewelry. I didn’t wear any rings because my hands swell when I fly.”
“Swollen or not”—I kiss each of her fingers on her left hand—“your hands are lovely, but you need to put your wedding rings on as soon as we’re in the room.”
He snorts and then quickly coughs as if to disguise the noise. “How will you be paying, sir?”
I peer at his name badge, so I know who to complain about tomorrow. I’ll be calling the hotel manager first thing after I say goodbye to Jayne. “Credit card, Edgar.”
“Not cash?”
I get the feeling he thinks I want to hide my credit card charge from my wife. Well, two can play this game. Or perhaps three. “My wife handles the finances. What do you think, darling? Will this put us over the limit?”
“The card will be fine, sweetheart. Though you’ll have to make up for booking first class seats on this trip. I thought we agreed on business class.”
“You work so hard. You deserve to fly first.” I wrap my arms around her. She fits so perfectly against me like we’ve done this a million times before. It’s weird how comfortable I feel with her. I did need a night out, even if it turned out I was spending it with a stranger.
Edgar rolls his eyes, and I want to punch him. I have a better idea. Instead of speaking to the hotel manager, I’ll call the owner tomorrow, who I happen to know quite well. That’ll teach the rude prick.
