Page 59 of Playing the Pucking Game
“What?” I snap.
“Nothing.”
Fired up by his attitude all day, and with a little extra confidence thanks to the cocktails tonight, I step a little closer.
“If you’ve got something to say, Storm, I suggest you just?—”
The elevator dings and the doors open.
“I don’t have anything to say, Donnelly,” he says a beat before he presses his hand to the small of my back and gives me a gentle shove to get me moving. “What number?”
“Excuse me?” I balk as my feet hit the carpet. I very nearly let out a loud sigh. My feet really are hurting.
“What is your room number?”
“I’m more than capable of getting myself to my room. I don’t need you to protect me. I’ve never needed you.”
His hand slips away as those final words erupt. I didn’t mean to say them, but it’s too late; they’re in the universe now.
“No, I got that memo.”
“Number?” he demands again.
“Twelve-twenty-two.”
“Of course,” he mutters under his breath as we continue down the hallway.
“What does that mean?” I ask.
“It means the universe is fucking with me, that’s all.”
“What—”
“Here you go,” he says, stopping outside my room.
I glance at the number and then at the keypad before my eyes finally land on my purse hanging over my shoulder.
“Fuck’s sake. Hold these,” I demand, thrusting my cup and hot dog at him. But he doesn’t move an inch. Well, apart from his brows, which shoot up. “Please?”
With an unnecessarily dramatic eyeroll, he takes my late-night treats, allowing me to dive into my purse for my key.
Once I have it, I tap it to the panel and push the door open. Spinning around, I almost knock the cup clean out of his hand because he’s followed me in as if I’ve invited him.
“What are you doing?” I cry.
“Uh…bringing these in?” he says, looking between the cup and hot dog with his brows pinched.
“I’m more than capable of handling it from here.”
Dropping my purse at my feet, I hold my hands out to take everything back, so he has no excuse to stay.
“You’re bleeding.”
“I’m what?”
“Your foot, Parker. You’re bleeding. There’s fucking loads of it.”
Suddenly, he’s storming past me, and I have to stand and watch as the door swings closed, leaving us alone in my hotel room.
