Page 106 of Secondhand Smoke
He paused outside her room, leaning his ear against the door to see if he could hear anything, before knocking.
Seconds passed silently until there was a shuffle and the soft padding of footsteps on carpet. The knob jiggled and opened.
Nell’s hair was a mess. She yawned into her hand, and Barrett’s worry melted.
She blinked slowly, and Barrett leaned against the frame to take her in.
“Did I wake you?”
“Yeah.” She wiped a hand over her eyes. “How long has it been?”
“A few hours.”
Her eyes widened. “I slept that long?”
Barrett chuckled. “Can I come in?”
Nell stepped aside, and Barrett entered. The room was exactly the same as theirs: two beds, orange walls, orange carpet,and off-white bedding. The only difference was that it was much cleaner and a lot quieter.
“I didn’t think I would sleep that long,” Nell mumbled and sat on the edge of the bed, curling her feet up under her. “The drive was . . . exhausting.”
Barrett moved closer cautiously, waiting for her to stop him. They hadn’t talked much since their night together in the van, and truth be told, he was afraid.
Afraid that if he moved too quickly or touched her without warning, he might startle and scare her away. Holding hands in the car was one thing, but they were alone, in a motel of all places.
But as he brushed his leg against the edge of her bed, she didn’t flinch or tell him to go away. So he pushed his luck and sat down.
The mattress sank, making her slide into him so their thighs touched.
She still didn’t run.
“How are you feeling?” he asked.
She nodded. “I’m okay, I think,” she said, and one of her hands brushed his fingers.
He held his breath.
“I can’t wait to watch you guys tonight.”
Barrett’s other hand rubbed the back of his neck. “You watch us all the time.”
“But not like I used to. I haven’t seen you really perform in ages.”
“Then I’ll make sure it’s the show of your life.”
She gave him a small smirk. “You better.” She stood up and walked toward her pink bag. “I should get ready. I still need to shower.”
“Oh, what a coincidence.” He leaned back on his elbows. “So do I.”
Nell paused, turning to look at him, then started to walk to him.
He raised a hopeful brow, letting her take the lead as she grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet.
With a twinkle in her eye, she stood on tiptoe and pecked his lips. “Bye, Scott.” Nell pushed him away gently, and he groaned in mock frustration.
“You’re wicked.” He stole her lips one more time before turning away.
Her sweet laugh followed him as he walked out and closed the door.
