"Yes, please." I nodded. "Think I am going to try and get some rest," I said, sitting back in my seat and placing my headphones into my ears.
I adjusted myself and snuggled into something warm. Then I felt a jostling and opened my eyes. I stayed where I was for a few moments, breathing in a cologne I absolutely loved. Then I felt a heavy object on my shoulder. I raised my head and looked around the plane. We’d been in the air for a few hours and most people were asleep. I felt the plane shake—turbulence. The ding of the seatbelt sign caused me to panic. I looked down at my hand; it rested on Maddox's chest, and then I felt his hand grip my shoulder. He had wrapped his arm around me while I had slept.
"What is it? What's wrong?" I heard his deep voice murmur.
I sat up, pulling at the wrap I had wrapped around me earlier. "My God, I'm sorry. I must have fallen asleep."
"It's all good, Tess, not a problem. I was trying to catch a few winks myself," he whispered, shifting in his seat.
The plane dropped and shook, and instantly I panicked, jumping closer to him. He let out a throaty chuckle again, and I realized what I was doing and tried to compose myself and stop panicking.
"Relax, would you?"
"I'm fine. I'll just be happier when we land." I giggled nervously, sitting back in my seat, panicking silently.
"Come here," he whispered, pulling me into his side once again. "There is no need to panic. You're perfectly safe here."
I never thought the plane ride would end. We'd spent the last forty minutes of our flight experiencing massive turbulence, but all I could concentrate on was his words to me,‘you’re perfectly safe here.’We’d finally arrived at the hotel, and now, we both followed the bellhop down the hall to what would be our room.
"You’ll need to jiggle the key a little," he said as he wiggled it in the lock before turning the key, then he turned, smiled at us, and turned the key, the lock clicking. He opened the door, and we followed him in. I glanced around the room. A bottle of champaign sat cooling in an ice bucket, a card that readCongratulations to the Newly Married Couplesat beside it.
"Welcome, Mr. and Mrs. Wright. Could I pour you both a glass of champagne?" the bellhop offered, walking over and pulling the bottle from the ice, while waiting for a signal from Maddox.
I felt my face fall as I looked around the room, spotting his-and-her robes laying on the bottom of the bed. All of this had been part of the upgrade that I had forgotten to cancel. Maddox took one look at me, and then cleared his throat, stepping forward.
"Thank you, sir, but I'm sure you can understand that we have both had an extremely long flight," Maddox said once again, looking over at me.
"Perhaps a nice hot bath? I'd be more than happy to send someone up to draw it for you. There is a tub for two," he said, heading over to what I figured was the bathroom.
I could feel the tears sting my eyes, trying to figure out why the hell I had come on this trip. I did not know that this was going to be so hard. Instead of standing there waiting for the tears to fall, I walked over and opened the curtains, looking down on the streets below us, trying hard to divert my thoughts.
"Honestly, sir, I thank you, but I just really want to spend some time alone with my love. If you catch my drift."
I turned in time to see Maddox shove some money toward the man and lead him over to the door, trying his best to get rid of him.
"Certainly, sir," he whispered, finally stepping into the hall in time for Maddox to shut and lock the door. He turned to look in my direction, while I stood there staring at everything that reminded me of what this trip was supposed to be.
I didn't know if it was the fact that I was exhausted, emotionally drained, or what, but my hand went up to cover my mouth to stop the sobs that were threatening to escape, but they won, and my shoulders began to shake.
"Oh, Tess," I heard Maddox murmur as he walked over to where I stood. “I’m sorry, sweetie.”
I didn't fight it this time. I turned to him and buried myself into the comfort of his arms.
Maddox
We stood in the room, her face buried in my chest, the only sound were her sobs as tears poured. The only thing I knew to do was to comfort her the best I could. So, I held her small frame tightly against mine and let her cry.
"I'm sorry, Maddox." She sniffled. "I didn't expect this to be so hard, and then the bellhop thought you were my...my...husband...it just...humiliating." She cried as she buried her face in my chest yet again as more tears fell.
"Tess, it's fine. Really, he doesn't know, and it's not like I'm bothered by it," I said, placing my finger under her chin, tilting her head back so she could meet my eyes.
She wiped the tears from her cheeks. "How can it not bother you?"
"Look at me, do I look bothered by it?" I questioned.
"But I didn't remove the upgrade package. I didn't even change the suite, and now we only have a king-size bed. I certainly didn’t think this through." She sniffled, looking over her shoulder at the bed that sat behind us. "This is nothing but a disaster. Now I am going to be even more humiliated when I ask the front desk to change our room to one with two queen beds." She cried, pulling away from me and sitting down on the bottom of the bed, picking up the robe that sat there, running her finger over the embroidered letters.
I reached down and removed the monogrammed robe from her hands. "So what, so I sleep on the couch. I can call down for an extra blanket and pillow. It looks comfortable enough," I said, throwing the robe down on the desk and walking over to the couch, lying on it. "Yep, totally comfortable," I said. "It will be fine."