Page 26 of Stolen Princess

“It’s suspicious for a man and a woman to be traveling together and not stay in the same room.”

Her lips purse. “I could be your sister.”

“But it’ll look better if you’re my girl, and truth be told, I don’t trust you enough to allow you to sleep on your own. You’re using me, but I’m using you in return, and I intend to get my necklace.”

Her eyes narrow. “I’m not sharing a bed with you.”

“Trust me, princess, it’s not what I want either.”

She huffs, her hand detangling from mine. “I can get my own room. I have money.”

I smirk. “Do you have ID? A credit card?”

With a frown, she shifts her weight. “No.”

“Then you’re my girl tonight, aren’t you? Relax, I’m not going near your pretty virtue.”

“I wouldn’t let you.”

“Then we won’t have a problem.”

And I’m not just telling her that. I’m telling my dick who has other notions as well.

I walk up to the desk before she argues further. “Hello, we’d like a room for the night. Two beds if you’ve got them.” I cup my hand around my mouth as if I’m telling him a secret. “She snores.” I wink at him.

He doesn’t even crack a smile. “We only have single beds here.”

Not what I was hoping to hear. “I guess I’ll have to suffer through.”

“That’ll be a hundred and fifty euros. We’ll need a card to have for incidentals and see your ID, sir,” Mr. Personality informs me.

I slip my ID that matches my card, and he runs it through without an issue and hands me a metal key with a plastic number tag hanging from it. It’s like something out of the Bates Motel, and hopefully our stay in this dodgy little town doesn’t end the same way.

“Come on, darlin’.” I take her hand again and walk us upstairs.

“I don’t snore.”

I twist to her. “How would you know?”

“I just know.”

“As someone who slept in the other room from you last night, I disagree.”

The blush on her cheeks and downward twist of embarrassment on her lips nail me with a pang of guilt.

“I’m teasing you. You don’t snore. You’re as quiet as a church mouse.”

“A what?”

We walk down the hall to our room. “It’s an expression. I said it in the hopes we wouldn’t have to share a bed.”

I unlock the door for us. It isn’t much of a room. A queen bed, a chair in the corner, two nightstands, and a small washroom with a standing shower, a toilet, and one sink.

That’s it.

There’s hardly any floor space.

“We’re not sharing a bed.” It’s the nervous whisper of a virgin who, in addition to being told the world is evil, was told all men are too and will rape her given the chance.