“No, thanks.” I shake my head. “I mean, we were only together for a few hours yesterday and you were assaulting me with your tongue, so I can only imagine what you would attempt to do with even more time.”
“I assaulted you?”
“That’s what I said.”
“I don’t recall you asking me to stop.” He looks over at me. “As a matter of fact, you looked disappointed when I did. And if I was sensing things correctly, I think you wanted me to take things further—a lot further.”
My cheeks redden and I focus my attention on the buildings that are whirring past my window. Staying with Blake for over a week would be the most spontaneous thing I’ve ever done in my life, but I can’t bring myself to admit that out loud.
“Can you take me over there, please?” I point at the hotel park that’s up ahead. “I’m going to get a hotel room.”
“I’m pretty sure they’re sold out already.”
“I’m pretty sure you want me to believe that.”
He laughs and pulls off onto the next exit ramp. Instead of heading straight for the park, he coasts into a Starbucks drive thru.
“I have a feeling that this is going to be a very long and eye-opening day for you,” he says. “Would you like anything to drink?”
“Caramel Frappuccino.” I hold out my credit card, but he doesn’t take it.
“My pleasure.”
After handing me my coffee, he turns to face me. “I won’t attempt to do anything you don’t want to do, Paris. I’m just being nice and trying to save you some money. And I wasn’t joking about needing new company. Stay with me.” He brushes a hand against my cheek.
“Um…” Say yes. Hell yes. “Can we stop at the Marriott first?”
He rolls his eyes and drives over, parking at the mid-point for all the hotels.
“Thank you.” I immediately jump out of the car, but I feel him walking by my side seconds later.
We step into the first hotel—a midscale type of place with glass elevators and a sparkling lobby, and I notice that everything seems quiet. Empty.
Before I can tell Blake, “Told you so,” I see a sign hanging a few feet above the front desk: “Sorry, We’re Sold Out.”
I frown and leave, walking next door to another hotel.
Sold out.
Then another.
Sold out.
By the time I reach the eighth one, my patience is wearing thin and the permanent smirk on Blake’s face is driving me insane.
“Shall we go to the next one?” He holds a door open for me. “Or have you given up yet?”
“I’m not giving up.”
“Because you’re scared to stay with me, or because you don’t want to give up?”
I pretend as if I didn’t hear that question. I’m sure the loud beating of my heart answered it for me.
The next hotel we enter is relatively small and quaint, and I expect to see a “Sold-Out” sign on the desk, but there isn’t one. The lobby is relatively bare, and the carpets could use a serious cleaning, but it looks good enough.
“Good afternoon and welcome to Eco-Suites.” A man with a scruffy beard appears behind the desk. “How may I help you two?”
“It’s just for one.” I look over my shoulder and see Blake talking on his cell phone. “I need a room until next Sunday, please.”
“Next Sunday?” He types on his keyboard. “I can do that for eighty-three dollars a night—cash, ninety-nine if you’re using a credit card.”
“Sounds great.” I pull out my wallet.
“Oh, and by state law,” he says, lowering his voice, “I’m required to tell you that we’re in the middle of renovating our rooms.”
“Okay. Why would that be a problem?”
“It’s not. Most people just like to know whenever there’s a bed-bug outbreak.” He shrugs. “It’s not that big of a deal in my opinion.”
“I’m sorry, what?” I freeze. “Are you renovating, or are you fumigating?”
“Fumigating,” he repeats. “That’s the word I was looking for. Same thing.”
“Are you out of your mind? It is not the same thing!”
“So, you don’t want the room anymore? What about for fifty a night? That’s as low as I’m allowed to go.”
I take a deep breath. “No, thanks.” I turn around and look at Blake who is now giving me an ‘I told you so’ look.
“There’s another hotel park two miles down,” he says. “I can take you there as well, if you’d like.”
I don’t say anything in response. I follow him back to his car, and he unlocks the door—stepping in front of me before I can get in.
“Am I taking you to the other hotel park or have you finally come to your senses?”
“You’re taking me to the other hotel park.” I mutter, but I quickly change my answer. “I’ll take you up on your hospitality offer, but only under two conditions.”
“And what conditions are those?”
“Number one, you can’t kiss me again.” I try not to smile. “Seriously. And number two, if I get drunk, which I probably will, given the circumstances, you can’t take advantage of me.”
He steps out of the way—motioning for me to slip inside.
“So?” I refuse to get into his car until he agrees. “What do you say? Do you agree to those conditions?”
“Not at all.”
“What? Why not?”
“Because I am going to kiss you again.” He leans close. “Seriously. And you won’t be drunk when you beg me to take advantage of you. You’ll be completely sober.” He tucks a strand of hair behind my ear, making my heart race ten times faster. “Those are my conditions. Can you agree to those?”
I look away from him and slip into the car—hoping I won’t regret checking off my number four.
Six
“Is that everything?” I place a shopping bag onto the kitchen counter. “Can I go to my room now?”
“No.” Blake smiles and leads me into the living room, motioning for me to lean back against the pillows. For the past few hours, I’ve been tagging along and watching him shop for storm supplies.
Even though I thought the people in this city were overreacting to this invisible storm, the second we finished buying fleece blankets, the parking lot was covered in a light snow and the skies were grey.
“It’ll probably get worse as the days go on,” he’d said. “We should probably get a few more things.”
Those “few more things” turned into a lot more things, and I swear we stopped at every store in sight. He bought candles, flashlights, sleeping bags, draft sealant, and, to “thank me for being his company,” he bought me four silk slips and a white robe. As ridiculous as some of the comments he made were (“You should model those slips for me one night.”), I enjoyed being around him.
“Are you tired?” He turns on the fireplace.
“No, just disappointed.”
“Why?”
I shake my head. I don’t want to bore him with anymore talk of Adrian.