Risking the Crown (The Crown 2)

My heart beat wildly. Holy shit my mouth was going dry. How did Cole Thomas always do this to me? I wasn’t a teenager anymore.

“I haven’t talked to him in months. Have you heard from him?” he asked.

“Yeah. He’s still in Afghanistan. He keeps getting assignments. You’re lucky you got out, Cole.”

I saw instant darkness in his eyes and I regretted I had said it. I tried to cover up my mistake. “I mean because Ryan told me you have a son now, right?”

He nodded. “Yeah.”

My stomach rolled. I didn’t know what was the worst part about this scenario: knowing Cole Thomas was taken off the market, or the fact that I had screwed this up. Either way, I immediately felt like I was sixteen again.

The smell of fresh paint permeated the office. The corner of a paint can was exposed on the floor behind the desk. I watched as he nudged it out of view with his foot.

“I wasn’t expecting anyone tonight. Do you have a reservation?”

“No, but I need one for the week. Apparently, this is the only place that has open rooms. Now I know why,” I teased pointing at the doorknob.

“Well, if it’s not up to your standards, don’t let me keep you.” He huffed.

“No, it’s—” I searched for a word that wouldn’t insult him further. “—quaint. I didn’t mean it like that. I’m sorry. I’m saying all kinds of stupid things. I’m exhausted.”

“Did you say you needed a room for the entire week? Where’s your luggage?”

“The airline lost it. You wouldn’t have those fluffy robes here, would you?”

“Darlin’, look around you. Does this look like the kind of place with fluffy robes?”

This place didn’t look like it would have running water, but a girl could dream. All I wanted was for him to swipe my credit card and point me to my room and maybe some food. My stomach growled. The pretzels I had eaten on the morning flight from Raleigh hardly counted as a meal.

“How are you here, Cole? What are you doing in South Padre?”

He sighed. “That’s a long story. One I haven’t had a chance to talk to your brother about. I want to have a beer with him when he’s back State-side.”

“So Ryan doesn’t know you’re here either?”

He shook his head. The white T-shirt that clung to his torso was speckled with paint, and he had hooked a hammer along the rim of his back pocket. When had Cole turned into a hot handy man? And why?

“I’ve had a really terrible day, and I could use a hot shower and something to eat. Do you have a room for me?”

He pulled out a notebook and flipped open the faded blue cover. He traced the lines with his finger. “Yep, there’s a room for you.”

“You keep your reservations in a notebook?” I hadn’t really noticed until now that there wasn’t a computer in the office.

He looked at me. “Do you want a room or not, Kaitlyn?”

“Sorry.” I bit my lip to keep from sparring with him f

urther.

“It’s fifty dollars per night. Do you have a credit card?”

“Right here.”

“What happened to your hand?” He glanced at my knuckles.

With the hotel hopping, I had forgotten that it had turned red and was starting to swell. “I ran into something. It’s nothing. Really, it’s fine.”

“Something or someone?” I thought I saw the corner of his lips form a smile.