Delilah and the twins nodded in turn as Marv began walking, tugging me along with his arm around my back. “Smile,” he whispered. I did so despite the incredible urge that was building within me to slap his handsaway.
“What’s going on?” I whisperedback.
“Not yet.” He turned his head and waved behind him at Delilah and the twins. When I craned my neck, I realized they were still standing in the same place and waving backexcitedly.
“They’re going to tell everyone that they saw you,” I hissed as he turned a corner and urged me across a sidestreet.
“It’sfine.”
I whipped my head to look up at him. “Why would it be fine?” I asked. “What happened to keeping a lowprofile?”
“Not yet,” he said as we entered what looked like a bed and breakfast. Was this where the guys had been staying? But no, we passed right through the lobby and the strangely empty kitchen and out the back door into an alley. How had he known there wouldn’t be anyone there to stop us? Or at least ask us what the hell we thought we were doing walking through someone’s place of business. The kitchen, at least, was private property,right?
Whatever it was, it didn’t matter anymore to my confused brain because the moment we cleared the alley I recognized the compact crossover car that Knix had rented from the airport to drive from Buffalo to Ms. Enders’ villa. Marv quickly opened the backdoor and urged me into the back before practically sprinting around to get into the front passenger seat. I froze as I was putting my seatbelt on when I realized who was driving. Bellamy flicked me a glance as Marv slid in and buckledup.
“What are you waiting for, Harlow?” Marv said. “Buckle up, come on, we gotta hurry and get you backsoon.”
I finished clipping my seatbelt and then trained my gaze directly on him. “Why are you here?” I asked, deciding to ignore the riot of emotions cascading through my body at seeing Bellamy so soon after last night. “What’shappened?”
“We’re heading to the hotel,” Marv said. “Sorry, I know it was a shock to see me. You did really wellthough.”
“Why didn’t you text me and let me know what you were up to?” I finally directed my gaze to the back of Bellamy’s head, wondering why he hadn’t said anything the nightbefore.
“We just sort of decided it this morning. We’ve got some new info and we need to debrief and update the group on everything. That includes you. Don’t worry, I was there when Knix went to talk to Ms. Enders’ the other day. She knows that I’m in the area. Knix is still playing the dutiful cousin. Ms. Enders even asked if I would be so kind as to come to thecotillion.”
“Fake cotillion,” I remindedhim.
He shrugged. “Both Knix and I have beeninvited.”
I sighed and sat back against the leather interior of the car. Even though my muscles were tense from the shock of Marv showing up unannounced, it felt good to be back with the guys. Delilah and the twins had been great, and I had even enjoyed meeting Angel, but I missed beingme. They all saw me asHarleyHampton – not HarlowHampton.
“So,” Marv turned around and eyed me up and down, “how has it been? Are youokay?”
Bellamy grunted. Marv turned to him. “What?” hesnapped.
“Let’s wait until we get to the hotel,” Bellamysaid.
Marv frowned at Bellamy and my muscles tensed again, but neither said anything more. I watched the buildings fly by through the tinted windows. Though neither of them said as much, I could tell that Bellamy was avoiding the main street and staying clear of any areas that the other girls and people from the villa might be. The hotel was a short distance away, only about a ten-minute drive. When we arrived, Marv jumped out and immediately opened my door for me. I sighed as I descended onto the sidewalk. Soon enough, I would forget how to open my owndoors.
I glanced up at the Hotel Charmisa, a tall, square, golden structure with glinting windows every few feet. Marv put a hand on the small of my back, urging me forward as the car rolled away. "Let's go," hesaid.
"What about Bellamy?" I turned to glance behind me as Marv pushed me through the glass front doors of thehotel.
"He's parking the car," Marv assured me. "He'll meet us up in theroom."
I let Marv lead me towards the double elevators, not unlike the elevators that we had used when the guys had lived in the condos a few months ago. He pressed the button and I smirked as his foot tapped impatiently until the doors slid open. We stepped into the empty space and Marv pressed the button for the top floor. He noticed me watching and turned, pressing me back against the furthest wall. I gasped, my eyes widened as I looked up at him inshock.
"Are you really okay?" he asked, his eyes roving over me as if checking for visibleinjuries.
"I'm fine," I said with a sigh. I put my hands against his chest, but he refused to move back. "Marv..." I silently urged him with my eyes. "I'm fine, I promise. They've treated me just fine. I mean – the table manners and ballroom dancing lessons are torture, but other than that, it's been rainbows andsunshine."
His eyes darkened as he continued to stare down at me. I didn't know if he even heard me. If he did, he wasn't showing any signs of it. He pressed forward again, pushing me firmly against the wall. What was he doing? The buttons at the top of the elevator doors dinged as we slowly rose to thetop.
"Marv?" I cursed my shaky voice, but I couldn't help it. My heart was racing. It beat in time with his – which I could feel through the fabric of both of our clothes, as close as hewas.
"Sunshine..." he whispered, and his mouth descended. My eyes closed of their own volition as his lips touched mine. His were soft. They were like coming home, rubbing teasingly over the seam of my mouth. My lips parted, and I was the one who initiated further contact this time. I could have freaking kicked myself, dammit, but I couldn't helpit.
Enticing, his scent enveloped me, and Marv slid both of his arms around my back, pulling me firmly into his chest. My head tilted to the side as his tongue tangled and danced with mine. Was I breathing hard, or was he? Maybe we both were. My pulse thrummed in my veins, fast and expressive. Couldn't he understand how irresistible he was? I pressed against him, some part of me sought what I had felt the night before with Bellamy and when Marv's hands clasped me behind my legs and jerked me up, I feltit.