“Relaxing,” Ryder explains, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “Wait here, I’ll get us a room.” He gets out of the truck, then pauses. “Actually, just come with me now.”
“Okay.” I climb out of the cab, glad he is not leaving me alone. Even if it’s just for a few minutes, I’d rather be with him.
Together we walk into the fancy lobby, looking completely underdressed and out of place. The receptionist is in a suit, for Christ’s sake. I’m certain he is going to tell us to leave because we can’t afford to stay here, or at the very least, that there are no vacancies.
To my utter shock, he greets us with a bright smile, not glancing twice at our appearance.
“Welcome to the Grand Levine. Do you have a reservation with us?”
“No, I would like a room for tonight. Well, actually today and tonight. I know it’s early, so if you need to charge me for two nights, that will be fine,” Ryder explains.
“Regular check-in is at two o’clock, but you can get a room with early check-in. That would only be $100 extra, no need to pay for a full night.”
“Sounds good.”
“I have a lovely suite, facing the atrium available for $429 a night, not including breakfast.” He probably thinks we’re going to leave now, but Ryder simply pulls out his credit card and driver’s license and hands it to him. If the receptionist is surprised, he hides it well.
He hands us our room key a moment later, and we head to the elevators. As we walk through the hotel, I’m in awe of how beautiful the place is: high ceilings, shiny marble floors, and light paisley wallpaper covering the walls.
The room is just as fancy as I imagined it to be. Larger than any bedroom I’ve ever been in, it looks like something out of a home décor magazine. There is a king-sized bed in the center, covered by at least eight neatly stacked pillows. On the wall in front of it is a huge flatscreen television.
Ryder takes his shoes off and flops down onto the bed with the remote in hand. “Come on, get comfy.” He pats the spot next to him.
I grab one of the complementary bottles of water next to the expensive-looking coffee machine and join Ryder on the bed.
He turns on the TV and starts flipping through the channels, leaving it at an action movie.
This is so weird.
Lying in bed with Ryder and watching a movie is so… normal. And that’s not something we often do. I almost ask him if he likes this, if he wants to have this between us all the time, but then I remember how it went last time I ask him a question like that. So, I decide to bite my tongue and enjoy the moment.
Enjoy this while it lasts.