Page 14 of The Himbo and the Lord

I have to splash some water on my face a few times to get out of this weird mood that makes me grumpy. I wanted to stay in bed too much.

Wanted to stay lying next to Ru and his warmth, if I’m being honest, so retreat was the safest choice.

I walk back out to see Ru buttoning his pants, and disappointment fills me no matter how hard I try to resist it.

“You’re leaving?” I ask, and hate the slight whine in my voice.

He smiles ruefully but still won’t look at me.

“Need to get some work done today.” He takes a deep breath as he straightens his clothes, then he finally looks up. His smile stays firmly in place even as his eyes roam over my naked body. Again, I have to resist the idiotic impulse to shift on my feet in the face of his inspection. His undivided attention is... addicting.

I clench my fists so I won’t move another muscle, and relax my face into a smug grin in time for him to see it when his eyes make their way back up.

“In case it comes in handy, my room number is fourteen-o-one, at the Empire.” he says easily, but his warm hazel eyes tell another story. He wants me again.

And that restores some of my balance. At least I’m not the only one who’s a little desperate.

He’s not desperate enough to ditch work for me, though.And on a damn Saturday.

“Good to know,” I murmur.

He stares for another long moment, nods, steps forward, kisses me lightly on the lips, and then... he’s gone.

* * *

Hours later,I’m in the VIP section of yet another nightclub. Beautiful people are all around me and my friends are enjoying the hell out of the model-like patrons, dancing and drinking the night away.

“Dude, come dance,” Seth tells me, and I just shake my head and drain my drink. He sighs heavily and plops down next to me. “That waiter really left an impression, huh?” he comments with an eyebrow waggle.

I swallow hard and look down at my lap. “Yeah,” I say noncommittally.

“You gonna hook up with him again before we leave?” His voice is too casual as he looks around the club. I narrow my eyes at him.

Does he know I was lying about the waiter?

There was no reason for me to lie, there really wasn’t, but I just... did. I still don’t know why, but thankfully I’ve never been one to spend too much time questioning my split-second decisions.

“Maybe,” I say finally.

“Then go, man. You’re having a shit time here, so just go get laid and we’ll catch up tomorrow.” His eyes are full of humour, which I appreciate. I don’t feel like having a deep emotional chat right now, not that it’s something we’ve ever done regularly when it comes to hookups anyway.

“Yeah, okay.”

There’s no reason to resist this. I want Ru again, and he gave me his room number for a damn reason. So I lean forward, put my empty glass on the low table, and stand.

“See you later,” I tell Seth and pat him on the shoulder.

I waste no time after that. Seth’s gonna let the guys know I’m tapped out and I’ll see them tomorrow, so I don’t bother searching for them among the sea of bodies. Instead, I walk quickly to the exit and hail a cab.

The hotel isn’t too far away, thankfully, and I’m in the elevator pressing the button for the fourteenth floor in less than half an hour.

Anticipation thrums in my veins as I watch the numbers on the little display go up and up.

So much so that my whole body is trembling when the doors open and I see the little sign directing me to the left if I want to reach rooms 1401–1405.

Only ten rooms on this floor, so they must all be suites.

Unlike Ru, I knock on the door as soon as I reach it, and it takes him maybe a minute to open, but it feels like forever. It’s long enough for me to think of the possibility that he’s not here, that he’s hooking up with someone else, maybe the man he had dinner with yesterday—and the jealousy is as intense as it is idiotic.

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