I lift my palms to his face, holding him close. “After all we’ve been through together—putting our lives on the line for each other—“ Words fail me as I think about how important he is to me.
Thankfully Z knows exactly what to say. “I love you, Rowan. I’m sorry I didn’t say it sooner, but…”
I’m so happy I pull him back to me for another kiss, this time softer—reverent.
When he pulls out of our kiss to start redressing, I follow his lead, anxious to get back to my—our—room. It’s in that moment that it really dawns on me what an amazing favor JV Luciano did the night he attacked me. As horrible as that night was, it set my life on an entirely new, and better, path. One I can’t wait to explore.
Z and I walk hand in hand through the closed lobby and I pull us toward the revolving front door.
“Where are you going?” he asks, pulling me in the direction of the elevator bank in the distance.
His question reminds me just how much we both have to learn about the hotel industry, although knowing I’ll have a partner in Z makes me only that much more excited about this amazing opportunity.
“We can’t stay in the hotel yet,” I answer. “We only have a construction permit, but no occupancy permit yet. We’ve got a suite down the street at the Hyatt until we can move in.”
When we get to the Hyatt, we stop at the front desk, just long enough for me to request another key for our room.
“Of course,” the polite receptionist says. “Would you like to add your guest to the registry? That would be best if he will receive calls or wishes to charge things to your room.”
“Oh yes, thanks. That would be awesome.”
Only after I say it do I realize my dilemma. I look like an idiot, about to take a man to my room, but I don’t have a clue what his first name is, let alone his last.
The grin on Z’s face tells me he knows exactly what I’m thinking.
He doesn’t take his eyes off me as he answers the front desk clerk’s question.
“The name is Simon. Simon Blackstone.”
I stand in flustered silence as he takes the key from the lady behind the desk. Only when we’re a safe distance away do I explode.
“Simon? Where the hell did the Z come from?”
He had been right. I never would have guessed that.
“In his line of work, my dad went by Mr. X to keep people from knowing much about him. He named me Z, I guess to keep up the mystery.”
We’re in the small elevator, on our way up to our suite when I snuggle closer and decide to go for broke.
“Well, I’m going on record now. If, one day in the distant future, we ever decide to have kids, just know I’m not onboard for a one letter name.”
“Got it. And while I do think we should wait a few years, I am very much looking forward to practicing making babies with you. In fact, I think we should give it a go again right after I order us dinner from room service. I don’t plan on us leaving our room for the next twenty-four hours.”
I giggle. “I’m not sure you’ve earned enough vacation time to take tomorrow off yet, Mr. Blackstone. You’ve only just started your new job today,” I tease.
“Oh, we’re not on vacation,” he says, taking my hand and leading me in the direction of our room. “Just consider tonight our first staff meeting. You can fill me in on all of the hotel details in between orgasms and naps.”
“Deal… but only if you fill me in on all of the sordid secrets you keep in that dirty ledger of yours. You did bring it, right?”
“Of course. I have a feeling the new hotel is going to have just as many secrets to keep as The Whitney.”
***