Authors: C.S. Janey
“It’s just a book!” I didn’t understand why he cared, but he just stared at me until I answered. “Conley.”
“Wow, unique.”
I couldn’t tell if that was sarcasm. “You don’t think someone can just be a good person and not have any major faults. Or nothing wrong with them?”
“No way.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “Everybody is screwed up in one way or another.”
“That’s quite negative of you. I’d like to believe there are people like that who exist.”
“Tell you what,” he uttered, leaning forward to brush a light kiss across my lips. “You find that perfect man and I’ll eat my words.”
I said nothing, just lifted a brow as he stepped away and packed up his laptop.
Fifteen minutes later, we were on our way out the door. Putting the stuff into the trunk, he held his hand out.
“Let me drive,” he begged, giving me a cute puppy dog look that I couldn’t resist. “I promise I’ll drive slow.”
Rolling my eyes, I handed him the keys. Besides, I wasn’t quite awake yet so I really didn’t mind if he drove. “Please, don’t drive slow. You are already going to be there less than two hours before your flight.”
“You’re the boss, honey!”
I let him get away with the endearment as I climbed into the passengers seat.
Backing out of the parking space, he grabbed my hand in his once we were on the road. “So, do you know what you will do when you’ve moved back?”
“Nope!”
The highway was only a few minutes from my house and as he took the on-ramp, I jerked my hand from his. “You’re going the wrong way! Turn around!”
“Am I?” He squinted at the sign and then laughed. “You’re right, I am. Whoops.”
Focusing my eyes on his face, a sudden feeling of dread filled my chest. My gut instinct had to be mistaken. “Whoops? Turn around right now!”
I swear, his eyes twinkled right in that moment. I wasn’t one to believe such tripe usually, but his whole face lit up with amusement. “Absolutely not.”
“You’re going to miss your flight!”
He busted out laughing and I knew the joke was on me. “I never had a return flight, Ellie. I admit, you losing your job sucked but it was like divine intervention! When you said you’d drive me to the airport, I knew just what to do.”
“Do? Do what? Kidnap me?”
He threw me a look of admonishment. “Don’t be silly. You’re not a kid and you’re certainly not napping.” Then he winked.
Gaping at him, I couldn’t believe this was happening. I really couldn’t. The Stefan I used to know would have never dared this. Who the hell was this provoking man? I took a deep breath. It’s not like I could jump out on the highway so escaping wasn’t an option.
“Where are we going? I don’t even have any clothes!”
He didn’t look away from the road. “We’re going home. And of course you have clothes, they are in the trunk.”
“You little…,” I stopped myself, huffing. “When the hell did you pack me clothing?”
“When you were sleeping. I admit, I’m shocked you didn’t notice some of your clothes were missing.”
I felt my face heat. I honestly had so much clothing I didn’t even know what all the items were in my wardrobe. It was my only vice - and it was an expensive one. “What about my stuff? My apartment?”
He chuckled then. “All taken care of. The moving company will come tomorrow and pack up all the rest of your stuff. It will be delivered next week.”
“What? Did you pay them? Can you even afford that?” My voice rose with incredulity. “Why would you do this?”
He sighed. “Of course I paid them, quite handsomely I might add - which obviously means I can afford it.”
“And you did this because…you thought me so enthralled with you that you didn’t even stop to think I wanted to do it myself?”
“Nope. I’m not that delusional.”
I almost cracked a smile at that. Scowling to prevent it from slipping through, I tapped my hands on my legs. “Well? Why then?”
“Because I thought a road trip would be fun.”
“That’s it?”
“Yep!”
“You are so infuriating!”
“Thanks, so are you. Now sit back and relax because we won’t be stopping for a while.”
Crossing my arms over my chest in a fit of pique, I stared out the window and wondered what the hell I was gonna do now.
~*~
I opened my eyes as the car slowed. Rubbing the initial blurriness away, I noticed it was getting dark outside. We’d only stopped for gas and food once. Looking around, the brightness of the lights had me blinking rapidly as I looked down again. Great, now I was seeing stars.
“Where are we?” I asked with a scowl as I sat up straight. “Hopefully a place to rest. My ass hurts.”
“Yes, Ellie. You are so impatient,” Stefan replied with a chuckle. “I figured we could stop here and then in the morning, we will go gambling!”
“Gambling? Why?”
His eyes widened, staring at me as if I’d grown two heads. “Why not?”
“Plenty of reasons.” As I checked out the building, my mouth fell open. “This place is huge!”
“A hotel and casino all in one.” He shut the car off and climbed out before I could reply.
We were out of the car and into the hotel within minutes.
The lobby area was pretty empty. When Stefan walked up to the counter, I stood there, taking in the interior. The double doors straight ahead were closed and I could hear people cheering and laughing. Gathering that the doors led straight to the casino, I joined Stefan as the man handed him a key.
“Only one key? Where is mine for my room?”
Stefan grabbed my arm gently as the bell hop put the luggage we’d carried in on a cart and headed toward the elevator. We followed.
“We are staying in the same room,” he whispered, having leaned in close to my ear. “After all, weren’t you the one worried about my finances? Maybe I can’t afford another room.”
“Yeah, but I can!” I snapped at him, trying to tug my arm from his grasp and failing. “Let me go pay for my own!”
As the elevator door opened, the bellhop entered and then held it open.
“There aren’t any more rooms. At least, not this late in the evening. Get in.”
Annoyed with his bossiness, I succeed in pulling my arm from his grasp as we got into the elevator. As I watched the numbers climb, I felt ill. “How far is it?”
He must have heard something in my voice. Pulling me into his embrace, he ran his hand over my hair as I closed my eyes to try and calm the panic climbing in my throat. It wasn’t that I minded elevators; in small doses, they were fine but this felt as if it were taking forever.
“Top floor. Damn it, I’m sorry. I forgot you have a fear of small places.”
Top floor? Well that would explain my panic. But…wasn’t that usually the biggest and most expensive room in a hotel?
I started to wonder then who this man was, focusing on my thoughts rather than the small enclosure. A room on the top level of a hotel - and one with a casino at that - was not cheap, even for only one evening. Not afford another room my ass. Looked as if he’d be answering some questions from me later.
Trying to ignore the fact we were on an elevator didn’t last long and I glanced up at the numbers as they pinged. When it finally stopped, I pushed Stefan away and darted off as fast as I could manage. Standing against the wall, I did my controlled breathing techniques to try and calm down as he opened the door to the room. The bellhop put the luggage inside and left after Stefan tipped him.
Stefan gestured for me to go inside ahead of him. I couldn’t resist a jibe as I walked past.
“You must have planned my abduction quite in advance. No way you got this room when we were just standing in—” My words were cut off by the gorgeous room in front of my eyes.
He chuckled behind me as he closed the door. “Nice, isn’t it?”
Yeah, it was. But I’d never admit that to him. Turning around, I waved my hand around lazily while flashing him what I hoped was a disinterested look. “It’ll do, I suppose.”
“See? Why don’t you take that attitude about me?”
Tilting my head to the side, I studied him. For a man who had been in the car all day, he looked fairly put together and not at all rumpled. The opposite of me. I felt disheveled and icky, which wasn’t helped by the fact I’d not showered that morning. I knew who I could blame for that.
Crossing my arms, I raised a brow at him. “I sure hope you aren’t serious.”
“Of course not.” He picked up two of the bags and headed toward the back of the suite. Assuming it was the bedroom, I didn’t follow.
The suite was huge. There was a kitchen and a living room right in view of where I stood. The furthest wall boasted of glass only, leading out to a lovely view that blew the one from my apartment window away.
“When did you reserve this room, Stefan?” I yelled to him in the other room. When he didn’t answer, I turned to go to him and saw him walking toward me. “Well?”
“You’re nosy,” he said with a scowl, only to ruin it with a smile two seconds later. “On the day after you lost your job. Before you say ‘oh my god, you planned this’ I will say…obviously. I had to.”
No wonder he’d walked outside so many times during his visit. Sneaky bastard.
Pretending I didn’t care, I flipped my hair over my shoulder and shrugged. “I have to get a shower. Where is the bag you packed for me?”
He pointed to the one by the door. “Right there, honey. It’s all yours. Enjoy your shower, I’m gonna make me something to drink!”
“Gee thanks.” I walked over to the door and picked up the bag as he went into the kitchen.
I couldn’t wait to see what kind of clothing he’d packed for me.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Wrapped in a towel, I searched through my bags for something
not
sexy to wear.
I wasn’t surprised by his selection. Lacy underwear, a silk nightgown, skirts, blouses, pantyhose and a few pair of high heels of assorted colors that also happened to coordinate well with all the outfits he’d put together in the bag. I’d give it to him; he certainly didn’t lack for a sense of style.
Then, I had a wonderful idea. Seeing his luggage that he brought into the room before I went to take a shower, I stalked over to his bags and opened them, a wicked grin on my face.
After getting dressed, I brushed out my hair and left it hanging to dry faster. It naturally curled a little when left to it’s own devices, which I usually helped along by putting it up in a bun.
Stepping out into the living room, I stopped and cleared my throat. “How do I look?”
Stefan’s wicked grin dropping to a frown as he saw my outfit was priceless. “What the hell? Why are you wearing my clothes?”
I wore a pair of his lounge pants and a baggy t-shirt. He wasn’t built but he was certainly bigger than me. I definitely wasn’t wearing anything I’d consider sexy and busted out laughing as his scowl deepened. “This is what you get for not packing me bottoms!”
Then the mischievous smile was back and he walked up to me with intent. Oh yes, it was clear in his eyes what he wanted.
“You think that wearing my clothes will make you less attractive? You could wear a trash bag and I’d still want to f—”
He was cut off by the knock at the door.
Saved in just the knick of time!
Despite my curiosity about who was here, I took the opportunity to get away and went over to the couch, plopping down on it with moan of pleasure at the softness against my bottom. Sitting for hours in a car had never suited me; the lack of movement and ability to get comfortable never sufficed.
Turning on the television, I smelled the tasty scent of pizza at the exact moment Stefan took the seat next to me. Placing the pizza on the table, he rubbed his hands together with what could only be described as glee. As I bit into my slice, he bit into his and let out a moan.
I swallowed my piece, then laughed. “Why are you acting as if you haven’t had pizza in ages?” My memory clearly recalled a man who declared he ‘would die if he had to give up pizza’ so his delight at eating it amused me to no end.
“I haven’t,” he admitted, before taking another bite and winking at me.
“How is that possible? You were always so adamant that you’d never,
ever
give up pizza.”
He shrugged as he polished off that piece and reached for another. “People change.”
Indeed. I wanted to say something snarky but for once, I decided against it. We were stuck together for at least two more days and since this had become a free vacation for me, I didn’t want to ruin the peace we’d fallen into.
Scrolling through the channels as I finished off my slice of pizza, I grinned as I stumbled upon the perfect torture in place of the cutting retort just begging to be let out. “Oh look,
honey
,” I emphasized with a super sweet voice. “
Dirty Dancing
is on!”
He jerked his eyes toward the television, groaning as his eyes came into contact with Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze on the screen, practicing the dance moves. Baby giggling every time Johnny would side swipe her boob always made me smile.
“Please, turn it off!”
As he tried to snatch the remote, I jumped up and took off, squealing. Standing on one side of the table, I turned it up louder until the music was clearly heard across the room. Stefan stood at the opposite end, ready to catch me if I tried to escape.
“Ellie, turn it down!”
“No fucking way!” I swayed back and forth, holding the remote above my head even as I stared straight at him, grinning. “I see you have no qualms about sticking me in a corner though. Tsk tsk!”
I caught him trying not to smile even as he darted around the side of the table. I took off back toward the couch, laughing.
“You’re not the only one who got in shape, buddy!”
Singing at the top of my lungs, I danced with the remote even as the music ended and they talked on the movie. He still stood a bit away from me, his arms crossed over his chest. The sudden grin on his face made my heart speed up, his hands going to the buttons on his shirt and undoing them, one by one. I paused in my dancing and just watched, transfixed.
Dropping the shirt on the floor, he pounced at me. With a squeak, I dropped the remote and ran toward the bedroom. At the sudden silence in the other room, I slipped behind the door and waited for him to come through.