Better With You (Better Love 2)

Oh, shit, right.

“Um, yeah, about that.” I scrunch up my face, the picture of an apologetic innocent bystander. Though I am far from innocent in this mess. “I have some bad news.”

Her eyes widen. “What? Are we disqualified? Have they changed their minds and kicked us out?” She starts to pace. “Oh my god, I knew I fucked it up.”

I step toward her and place a hand on her shoulder, trying and failing to ignore the familiar warmth and softness of her skin under my palm.

“No, it’s nothing like that,” I rush out, and she blows out a relieved breath.

“Oh, thank baby Jesus.”

“Right. But...”

She blinks expectantly.

“Well...”

She widens her eyes.

“You see...”

“Just spit it out, Riggs.”

“I’m moving in with you for the rest of the week.”

Her face falls and her eyebrows scrunch. “Say what?”

“Yeah, see, my reservations got mixed up and the other room was only reserved until today. Since it’s the holidays, I can’t get another room, so I have to room with you.”

“This is a joke,” she deadpans.

I shake my head and roll my lips. “It is not.”

“Yeah, no. You are not sleeping here.”

“It’s the only option.”

“Bull. Call the front desk again.”

“I did that already, as well as five other hotels in the area. There are no vacancies.”

“Then sleep in the hallway,” she says with a scowl, and my shoulders bunch.

“I am not sleeping in the hallway, Bailey.”

“You’re sure as shit not sleeping here.”

“Look, I didn’t want to pull this card, but I’m paying for this room, and now I have to stay here. You can either stay here too or you can go crash at the roach motel in the south burbs with Trevor.” My anger flares at the idea of her staying with that douche, but the threat was a bluff, and I can already tell she’s gonna cave. She might be looking at me like she wants to castrate me, but I see the resignation mixing with the fury in those golden eyes.

“His name is Taylor.”

“I don’t fucking care what his name is.”

“Well,” she spits, “what about Talia?”

“What about Talia? I’m staying in your room, not fucking you on the roof deck.” Her eyes flare and she grits her teeth.

“Won’t Talia be pissed that you’re sharing a room with someone you boned and bailed on? I know I’m old news and all, but usually girlfriends don’t like it when guys spend time with other people who know what their dick tastes like.”

I gulp hard at her words, fight off the memory of her on her knees in front of me, and grit out, “Don’t really care what Talia thinks because she’s not my fucking girlfriend.”

She blinks. Opens her mouth, then shuts it. Then gives her head a little shake. This infuriating woman is stunned speechless briefly and if I weren’t so pissed, I’d be proud.

After another moment of silence, she looks at the bed and whispers, “But there’s only one bed.”

“I’ll sleep on the couch.”

She looks at the couch and groans. “That couch is barely five-feet long. I wouldn’t even fit on it. You’re a gods-damned giant.”

I laugh at her distress but choose not to point out that she’s showing concern for me.

“I’ll be fine. Promise.” When she doesn’t say anything else, I continue, “I really am sorry about this. I tried to get a different room, but they’re all booked up.”

I don’t tell her that I could pull strings since my dad owns the damn place. That’s not a perk I’m ready to exploit since it will ruin this whole week worse than her pissy attitude over our forced proximity problem.

“It’s fine. I mean, it’s not, but whatever.”

She walks to the door quickly and opens it, stopping short when she sees my suitcase.

“Oh, yeah.” I walk up next to her and grab the handle, rolling it in behind me. She pushes the room service cart in and sets her burger on the small table. “You can call the front desk and get a new one since that one is cold.”

“And waste a perfectly good burger?” She lifts it up and takes a giant bite, then says through her mouthful, “hell no.” She chews and swallows. “Where I’m from, we don’t waste food just because it’s gone cold. I’ll use the microwave for the fries, but the burger tastes good as it is.”

I nod. “Okay. Suit yourself. I’m gonna shower real quick.” She keeps her eyes on her burger, but I don’t miss the way her shoulders lift and her jaw tightens.

“Kay.”

Yep. This is going to be an interesting week.

The lights are off.Bailey is in the bed, and I’m bunched up uncomfortably on the couch. I can hear her breathing. Every slight movement she makes, I focus on it. It’s driving me nuts. Since we’re both awake, I ask one of the questions that’s been on my mind since we ran into Taylor/Tyler yesterday.

“When did you start baking?”