Page 53 of Bargaining

“You OK?” Cole spoke without looking up from the laptop balanced on his knees.

A pulse thundered behind my right eye, and pain radiated down the side of my head. The dress weighed heavy on my shoulders and the fabric pinched. Enough. Only sleep would fix this. Cool sheets. Darkness. Tomorrow would be a new day. “Fine.”

The car stopped, and the driver opened the door. I stepped out onto a narrow walkway lit by vintage lamps. I’d expected a characterless luxury resort, but the tall, crooked building ahead looked charming with an unassuming stuccoed facade, shuttered windows, and ornate balconies.

Cole joined me. “La Dolce Vita. It’s one of the best hotels in the world. The penthouse suite has the most amazing view of the city.”

La Dolce Vita? A shock ran through me. “Dad talked about this place.”

“He stayed here?”

No. He’d never have been able to afford that. Dad had lived in university dorms while he studied for his thesis. “He visited. He was interested in the crypts underneath.”

“Crypts?”

“This hotel is famous. There’s an entire network of ancient tunnels under here.”

“You know more about it than me.” He raised a wry eyebrow, but there was a hint of unease in his voice. “I’m more interested in the Michelin-star restaurant.”

Most married couples probably have the hottest sex of their life after their wedding. Cole and I were not most married couples. This was bad even for a fake wedding night. We were in Rome, in an unfathomably luxurious hotel, and I barely had the will to look out of the window. Instead, I had mind-bending agony and an uninterested groom who’d immediately disappeared to the balcony with his laptop.

Cole flicked the light switch, and blinding light flooded the enormous bedroom. Gold glinted on every surface, dazzling me. The suite was the epitome of Italian elegance, all marble and clean lines, but in its fully shining glory it was about to melt my brain.

“Have you seen my laptop charger?”

Pain blazed at my temple. “Turn it off!”

“What are you doing in the dark?”

Tears filled my eyes. My voice came out an anguished cry. “Please. Just turn off the light. I’m begging you.”

He flicked the switch again. A strip of light from the bathroom highlighted his silhouette in the doorway. He watched me as I rifled around inside my suitcase on the bed. Even this simple movement felt impossible.

“What are you looking for?”

Please go.“Nothing. Your charger is on the dining table.”

I let out a moan of frustration as I threw aside toiletries and T-shirts.

“It doesn’t look like nothing,” he said quietly.

“I have a migraine. I need my drugs.”

I found my triptan nasal spray in a zipped pocket. Finally! I wedged the cool plastic into my nostril and pressed the trigger on the canister. A disgusting taste hit the back of my throat. I sank down on the bed with my head cradled in my hands, trying not to cry because it would only make the pain worse. My tight dress dug into my ribs with each labored breath.

Cole moved closer. “What do you need?”

“I have to wait for this to kick in. That’s if I got it early enough for it to work.”

A small sob escaped me. I hoped so. Sometimes these things lasted for days, and we were in this place I’d always dreamed of visiting. I stumbled to stand in front of the mirror and fiddled with the back of my dress. Tiff had laced me into it this morning. It was a beautiful dress, but I’d been wearing it for hours in two different time zones, and if someone set fire to it, I wouldn’t miss it.

Cole stood behind me, his tense, hard body radiating heat. “Let me help you.”

“I’m fine.”

Gently, he caught my hands and held them still. “Stop fussing. I’ve got it.”

His hands worked carefully to unfasten the delicate buttons and untie the tight laces at my back. With each gentle tug, he created space for me to breathe a little easier. I watched his focused expression in the mirror. Despite the overwhelming pain, his warm breath on the back of my neck kicked my body into alert. My nerves thrummed with an unwelcome thrill. He looked more captivating than ever as a groom. I hadn’t been able to take my eyes off him all day.