Page 81 of Drive
“We split the cost of the room, but I pay the petdeposit.”
She counted to three as he stared back at her, and it seemed like aneternity.
“Deal.”
She nearly deflated into a lifeless husk on the lobby floor her relief was so great. “Thank God,” shemuttered.
Then Jacques arched a brow ather.
“What?” she asked,frowning.
He tipped his chin toward her T-shirt. “I need mycard.”
Scalding blood raced to her cheeks. “O-oh… right.” Rainey slipped her thumb and forefinger into her top, down into her bra, and pulled out his card. She noted before she handed it over to him that it wasn’t cold anymore. In fact, nothing touching her body was cold. Every inch of her flesh seared hot withembarrassment.
He took the card from her, eyeing it with a look that Rainey could only describe as bemused respect before handing it toAshley.
While he faced the counter, Rainey pressed her palms to her cheeks, willing the blood beneath her skin to recede. And it worked a little. By the time they stepped into the elevator, she was only scarlet red instead ofvermilion.
They rode up to the fourth floor in silence, only the sound of the poodle’s excited panting between them. When the elevator stopped with a ping, and the doors opened, Archie shot out as though he knew exactly where they were going, dragging Rainey to theleft.
Jacques stepped out behind her and pointed right. “It’s thisway.”
She tugged on Archie’s lead with a “C’mon, boy,” and they followed Jacques down the hall. With his duffle bag slung over his left shoulder and his acoustic case gripped in his right hand, he cut a figure that was impossible not to admire. His shoulders, broad and defined, drew her eye down to the sinews in his arms. She’d held his left forearm in her grip not three minutes before, and she could now recall how solid and muscled it felt. His tanned skin had been deliciously hot under herfingers.
Rainey had touched his hands and his wrists, she’d held onto his shoulders when they’d kissed, but she hadn’t had the right opportunity to appreciate the structure and beauty of his arms. There was probably a great deal more about his body she’d never get to admire, but at the moment, it seemed to her a tragic waste that she hadn’t paid more attention to his arm when she’d held ontoit.
Suppressing a wince of regret, she watched him set down his guitar by the door of their room and slide the key into the little slot. With a beep, the door unlocked, and Jacques pushed it open for her. Archie bounded inside, passing up the little living space with its sofa and desk. He wasted no time springing to the first bed before darting in a circle, jumping to the floor, and then pouncing onto the secondbed.
He then proceeded to plant his head onto the bedspread and grind down with this head and shoulders, making erratic little snorting noises as hedid.
Jacques burst out laughing at the dog’santics.
“Archie, why?” Rainey bemoaned, but in truth she was relieved for the distraction heprovided.
Archie flipped onto his back and proceed to grind side-to-side, arching his body in crescent shapes as hedid.
“I guess if this is a pet-friendly suite, he’s gotta smell every dog who’s ever stayed here,” Jacques ventured, chuckling. “Little dude has to make hismark.”
Rainey raised an eyebrow and addressed her dog directly. “As long as you don’t make any other marks,” she warned. She set her backpack on the bed next to Archie, who seemed unfazed by its presence. “I guess we’ve claimed this one, though I can’t promise he won’t give your bedspread the sametreatment.
“It’s okay,” Jacques said, turning back to the living area. “I was thinking about taking thecouch.”
Rainey’s eyes widened, and in spite of herself, her heart sunk a little. “But there’s two beds,” she heard herselfsaying.
He gave a shrug. “Yeah, but this will give us a little moreprivacy.”
Indeed, the sofa was tucked behind a partitioned wall that kept it hidden from view to anyone lying inbed.
“Okay,” she said, hating the way her voice sounded small and disappointed and hoping he didn’t hear either. She looked around for something to do to shield herself from his attention, and she hoisted her backpack on her shoulder again. “I’m going to take a shower. Would you mind keeping an eye on Archie to make sure he doesn’t cause anydamage?”
Jacques’s eyes flicked from her to the bathroom door with something like panic. “Uh… Yeah. S-sure. Take your time,” hestammered.
Rainey’s body tensed. “You sure? I can take him in the bathroom with meif—”
“No, no. Archie’s cool,” he said, shaking his head. His words seemed at ease, but the tightness in his voice said otherwise. “He’ll settle down in aminute.”
“Because you could go first if you wanted…” sheoffered.
