“Right, cause I’m going to be staying there.”
Her brow furrowed. “You are?”
“Yeah. You can take this room and I’ll crash in the one next door.”
“No.” She shook her head and grabbed the handle of her suitcase. “No way. I’m not taking your bedroom. I’m staying in the guest room.”
He held on, not letting the luggage out of his grasp. “No. You’re staying here.”
She recognized the stubborn glint in his eye. It was familiar because she had seen the same one in her own eye a time or two. She’d always had a stubborn streak. It wasn’t often that she put her foot down, but when she did, it didn’t budge. This was definitely one of those times.
“I am not kicking you out of your room.” She pulled again.
“I know.” He held it in place. “You’re not.”
“You don’t have to do this.”
“I know I don’t have to,” he emphasized. “I want to.”
Between them Capone barked happily at the game of tug of war. He ran in a circle around them, slobbering and grunting. As entertaining as this was she knew that there was no way she could beat him with sheer strength so she took a different tactic. There was no reason to engage in a showdown. He was going to go to work and she’d have plenty of time to put her things wherever she pleased.
She dropped her arm and smiled. “Fine.”
“Fine?”
One shoulder lifted in a passive shrug. “Fine.”
His fingers still remained clasped around the handle and he stared at her in an assessing gaze. “When I leave you’re going to put your things in the other room, aren’t you?”
“That’s a very real possibility.” She grinned up at him.
She could see a flutter of amusement flash in his eyes before he took a serious tone. “Ginny. I want you to stay in here.”
Mimicking his voice she replied, “Dax. I want you to stay in here.”
“Ginny.”
“Dax.”
He shook his head and let out a small sigh as his phone buzzed again. After checking it, he cursed under his breath, grabbed a key off of the dresser and handed it to her. “I have to go. I’m not sure what time I’ll be back. There are some leftovers in the fridge and stuff to make sandwiches. Make yourself at home.”
“I will, thank you.” She would make herself very much at home in the spare room.
He started heading out of the room, but paused at the door. “Do you still have my number, in case you need anything?”
“Yep.”
“I thought I would double check.” The side of his mouth turned up in a teasing grin. “You know, since you haven’t used it.”
She couldn’t help the smile that pulled at her own lips. “I still have it.”
“Good.” His grin grew larger and the look in his eye held her captive even after he disappeared from the doorway.
A warm fluttering feeling spread through her and she bit her bottom lip as she glanced down at the ground. It was the same feeling she got every time she thought about the night that they’d spent together.
When she heard the front door shut she dropped to the floor and ran her hand over Capone’s head.
“Okay, now what?” she asked as he rolled onto his back.