Page 55 of Just Home for the Holidays

He had to call Char at noon New York time or she’d worry about him. How was he going to get his phone charged?

At least he’d had a place to go when Yvonne and Nick arrived home early. He hadn’t been able to find a hotel room for Christmas Eve, so had crashed at the club. It was all good, except for his phone.

Reid’s bodega in the lobby was opening at ten, a bit later because of the holiday, but Hunter really didn’t want to encounter Reid or Cassie in the elevators. He wasn’t due to work until one. He thought about the stairs, then considered his stuff. He didn’t have that many belongings, but a duffle bag, a backpack and a suit bag was more than most people brought to work. It wouldn’t fit in a locker, either. He couldn’t check into the hotel until four, which meant after his shift.

He was just thinking that he could head down to Grand Central Terminal and check his bags there, when there was a soft tap at the door of the room he’d commandeered.

His heart jumped. He wasn’t going to answer, then there was a little shuffle of sound.

A piece of paper slid under the door.

He moved silently to read it.

It’s Chloe. Are you okay?

Chloe. There was no disguising Hunter’s rush of pleasure.

She had no doubt that he was there, so there was no point in pretending otherwise. The door didn’t lock and in a minute, she’d open it.

Hunter opened it instead. She had her hair in a ponytail and was dressed casually—jeans, a big sweater, and a wool coat—but her eyes were wide with concern. She was wearing her glasses, which made her look bookish. He was more glad to see her than he knew he should be. He should send her away, he reminded himself. He should protect her from him. She wanted more than he could ever give.

Hunter knew all of that, but those eyes. Against his better instincts, he invited her into the room. Chloe stepped past him and he took a breath of her scent, savoring it, before she realized what he was doing.

What if...?

“I went to the apartment and Yvonne told me they’d come home early,” she said. “Why didn’t you go to a hotel?”

“I tried. Everything is booked out tonight.”

“No room at the inn,” she said with a smile. “I think I remember that story.”

He gestured to the room and managed a smile himself. “Better than a manger.”

She nodded. “I guessed you might be here.”

It should have freaked him out that she’d anticipated him so well. He should have been sure that she’d just made a good guess because she was smart. But instead, he liked that she’d known what he would do.

It was like they were friends.

“I have a room for tonight at the Beekman but can’t check in until four,” he said.

“The Beekman? Pretty fancy.”

“I know, but it is Christmas. Clean sheets. Room service. I think I’m worth it.” He sensed that she was waiting for an invitation, but didn’t offer one. It was Christmas Day. She’d be busy with her family. He sat down again, his back to the wall, well aware that she was studying him. “There’s not much I can offer you, except the view.”

He thought she would leave then.

Chloe sat down beside him, close enough that they were just barely touching. He stayed put, but still didn’t look at her. A guy could lose himself in those eyes, forget everything he knew to be true, start something he couldn’t finish.

“Is your phone off?”

“Ran out of juice.” He made a gesture. “The plugs are all in the hall on this floor. I forgot about that.”

He felt her nod. “It would give you away.”

“Exactly.”

“You could have asked Cassie or Theo, you know. I’m sure they wouldn’t mind if you crashed here officially.”

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