Page 41 of With This Kiss
“Such crass language, princess. Did I say anything about fucking?”
My cheeks burned. “Then why the hell are you taking me to a hotel?”
“My apartment got broken into last night. They’re still working on the repairs. I’m staying at the hotel for now.”
“Are you serious?”
“As a heart attack.”
I turned fully to him. “Why the hell didn’t you just say that? I would have just reserved a room at a hotel if I had known.”
“Well, now you don’t have to. You can stay with me.”
I shook my head. “Since we’re already heading to a hotel, I think I’ll just get my own room.”
“Suit yourself,” he answered easily. I blinked a little in surprise. A part of me thought he would try to convince me otherwise.
I shook my head and leaned back against my seat. A win was a win. Now I wouldn’t have to worry about spending the night in the same space as Reign Mahankov.
“Come again?”
“I’m sorry, miss, but all our rooms are fully booked for the night. There’s nothing available for you.”
Fuck.
I could feel Reign’s heavy presence behind me, his heat radiating off him and making me feel hot.
I used the back of my palm to wipe away the sweat forming on my forehead. “Are you sure? Because it doesn’t have to be a full room. I’d even settle for a cot in a storage?—”
I let out a small yelp when I felt an arm go around my waist, carrying me away from the front desk.
“Thank you for your time,” Reign said.
“Wait!” I struggled to get out of his hold. He only tightened his arms around me.
“Come on, let’s not bother the nice man. He already said he doesn’t have any rooms available.”
“How is that possible? And put me down.”
He didn’t put me down until we were by the elevators.
I made a show of straightening out my clothes before glaring up at him. “You did something, didn’t you?”
One eyebrow rose as he looked at me. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, we’re not in tourist season right now. There are no attractions going on, and yet this five-star luxury hotel suddenly has no rooms available.”
“Do you really think I have nothing better to do with my time than to book out all the available rooms?”
Well, when he put it like that, it sounded ridiculous. But I still couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t adding up. The elevator doors opened, and he ushered me inside. I only went because I didn’t want him to touch me again.
“And stop doing that,” I said when the doors closed behind us and he pressed the button for the top floor. Of course he would be staying in the penthouse suite.
“Doing what?”
“Stop touching me and picking me up without permission. I don’t like it.”
“You don’t? Or it is because you like it too much and don’t want to show it.”
