Rhys suggests ordering something from the room service menu. Well, menu is an overstatement. It’s a piece of paper with three items scribbled on it and has been copied one too many times. We settle on grilled cheese and scrambled eggs with bacon. The menu must be for all three main meals.
While we wait, I take a shower and change into my flannel pajama pants. I throw on an oversized Henley that was on top in my bag and realize that it’s not mine. I look down at myself. I must’ve grabbed Rhys’s shirt from last night when I threw everything into my bag this morning. I can’t go back out since this is the only top I have with me in the bathroom. The shirt I wore all day smells like I ran a marathon. I guess this will have to do. It’s comfy and, taking a whiff of the armpit area, doesn’t stink.
Rhys hollers through the door, "Dinner is here."
I step out of the bathroom, and his eyes go wide, followed by him scrambling for the remote.
Thanks to the shower, I’m awake enough to eat my grilled cheese.
SeeingLilly walk out of the bathroom, my eyes widen, and my breath hitches in my throat. I choke on my saliva and start violently coughing.
Holy fuck!
Heat shoots through my body. Never in a million years could I have imagined seeing one of myfantasiescome to life, and definitely nothere. When I checked my bag, I thought I had left that shirt at the last hotel, which sucked since it was one of my favorites.
I can’t stop gawking and stifle a groan. Blood is traveling to places it definitely should not be. I shift around to find a less...constricting position. Even though my shirt is way too big on her frame, the way the neckline slides down to reveal the top of her right shoulder is sexy as hell. It is by far the hottest thing I have ever seen.
My palms are sweating, and I’m fighting the urge to grab her, push her against the wall, and devour her mouth with mine. This is not good. Not. Good. At. All.
I need something to distract myself, something to snap myself out of staring like a complete perv. I fumble for the remote and turn the TV on. I start scanning the channels like a maniac—there has to be something. I stumble upon an old episode of Baywatch.
I didn’t realize they’re still showing reruns.
Half-naked chicks are so not helping my current dilemma. I shift again for some subtle rearrangement in the groin region and press the channel button. Bingo! It’s the History Channel. It looks like it’s a show about hairy dudes living in the back country somewhere.
Much better.
I settle down on my bed and shove a forkful of eggs into my mouth. Crisis averted.
When I’m fully in control, I peer over at Lilly and notice she’s asleep with her plate still sitting next to her. I remove the plate, put it on the nightstand, and cover her with the blanket she, thankfully, already pulled back. I don’t know if my self-restraint would’ve lasted if I had to touch her to move her under it. I need to get back to the bearded dudes. Like. Right. Now.
I wake up completely disoriented.It’s pitch black, and the alarm clock by my bed displays three-twelve.
What the fuck?
Stilltrying to figure out why I’m awake, I hear it and bolt right up. My eyes have adjusted to the dark, and I can make out Lilly curled up in the middle of her bed, covers tangled, and whimpering.
I jump out of bed but stop with my shins pressed against her mattress, hesitant to move any closer. I’m not sure what to do. Long strands of her pale hair are plastered against her forehead and cheeks. Even in the dark, I can see she is drenched in sweat. I don’t want to scare her, but when her whimpering starts back up and she mumbles, "No, no, no,"I can’t watch any longer. I carefully lower myself down onto the edge of her bed with my hand hovering above her. The whimpering turns into something resembling a strangled animal, and I gently put my hand on her back, trying to soothe her. "Calla? Cal, wake up. You’re dreaming."
How original, dude.
It takes a few more attempts of rubbing her back and calling her name before she jolts upright and scans the room wildly. She zeros in on me, eyes wide, and scoots to the far end of the bed, pulling her knees to her chest.
Shit, that’s exactly what I didn’t want to happen.
I’m turned toward her, one leg on the bed, the other still on the floor, and I hold my hands up. "Cal, it’s me."
She blinks once, twice. "Rhys?" Her voice sounds so unsure.
"Yes, you’re safe." I slowly lower my hands to my leg on the bed.
She briefly closes her eyes before she launches herself into my arms and starts sobbing.
Holy fuck, what is going on?
I’m completely helpless. My arms wrap around her, and I rub her back, rocking her back and forth. "Shhhh, it’s okay. You’re safe. I won’t let anything happen to you, babe."
Babe?