Page 14 of The Hotel Room

Kate didn’t move. Couldn’t.

Her arms tightened around herself instead. She hugged herself, cold and trembling, the adrenaline crash leaving her shaking.

His hand cupped her elbow, gentler this time, guiding.Not forcing.Just…helping.

And against everything screaming inside her, she let him.

Her body still trusted his instinctively, wrongly.

He guided her back into the room. The door closed behind them with aclick.

------------------

She stood there, arms wrapped tight, trying to swallow the ache threatening to crack her wide open, while James moved around her. The other woman—curvy, beautiful—was already mostly dressed now, her heels clutched in one hand, hair disheveled, lips swollen.

Kate’s stomach rolled.

The woman looked between them, chest heaving, gaze burning with anger.

James’s face twisted, hands half-raised like he might defend himself, but before he could say a word, the woman cut him off.

“Go fuck yourself,” she spat. Then she pushed past him, the door slamming behind her.

Kate flinched at the sound, pressing her knuckles hard against her lips to keep the sob trapped in her throat.

She felt James move beside her, a distorted blur of motion through the tears in her eyes.

“Here.” His voice was hoarse, thick. “You’re freezing. Let me—just—”

He crouched, unfolding one of his button-down shirts, his hands careful as he held it out to her like a peace offering.

She couldn’t move.

Couldn’t take it from him.

Because this? This was not the man she knew.

“Kate,” he whispered, voice cracking. “Please.”

Her hands felt numb as she finally reached out, the shirt sliding over her trembling arms. He buttoned it for her, his fingers brushing her skin in the quietest, gentlest of ways, and it was too much.

Too intimate. Too careful.

“I don’t understand what’s happening,” she admitted, her voice very quiet.

James’s hands stilled mid-button. He didn’t answer right away, just closed his eyes for a moment, like he was searching for something to say.

And when he spoke—God, it wasn’t what she needed.

“It has nothing to do with you, Kate.” His voice was hoarse. “It was just—” He exhaled sharply, raking a hand through his hair, his words tripping over themselves. “We got married so young. You’re theonlywoman I’ve ever been with. I never had a chance to—”

Her stomach dropped.

James shook his head, eyes desperate now. “I’m not saying I regret marrying you. I don’t. But I was curious, okay? I never—never got to experience—”

His words grew firmer, more defensive. “It was never about you. Or us. It wasjustsex. It doesn’t matter—”

The shock was curdling into something else now. Humiliation burned into her chest, so hot she could barely breathe.

---