Don't Go There (Awkward Love 5)

“Really? I’m crushed. Still, there’s nothing wrong with pretty.” I glance at her. “You’re pretty, for example.”

I chuckle as her cheeks go red.

“And your full of shit,” she grins. “You know just what to say, don’t you?”

“Do I?” My grin widens. “Huh. And here I was thinking you were the wordsmith, not me.”

“Come on, Adam. The musical jokes are getting old.”

“Then I’ll have to think up some new material. Any chance you can hit me with some inspiration?” I ask her.

“I’ll hit you with something, alright,” she mutters.

Chuckling, I turn back to the road. Every so often I glance at my phone, a new rush of anxiety sweeping through me. I’d be lying if I said I’m not nervous about getting back to Vegas. The person I’m nervous about seeing the most is Alberto. I feel like more shit has gone down in the last few days, than it has in the entire previous month.

“This is my first time in Vegas, you know.”

Katie’s voice cuts through my thoughts. Her eyes shine when they briefly meet mine. I smile, loving the raw excitement in her eyes. It’s something I haven’t felt in a long while.

“You were here a couple of days ago, remember?” I remind her. “You’re not a virgin anymore.” She glowers at me, but I laugh it off.

“I guess it just feels like one very long trip,” she says.

“Glad things aren’t dragging for you,” I laugh.

“No, you know what I mean,” she retorts, her cheeks glowing pink.

“Are you looking forward to getting home?” I ask.

“Yes and no.” she glances at me. “There’s parts of this that I’m not ready to be over and then there are things I really miss, like Alfred.”

“Boyfriend?” I ask with a knowing nod.

“You don’t think that would’ve come up?” she laughs. “Alfred is my dog.

“Alfred?” I repeat.

“What?” she asks when I stare at her.

With a name like that, I’m not sure if she’s being serious or not. I smirk as she pulls out her phone. A few seconds later, she holds up a picture, a triumphant look on her face. I laugh, because that dog looks so familiar, it’s scary.

“What are you laughing at?” she asks.

“Nothing.” I smirk. “Just that I had a great uncle named Alfred. He was a tiny angry little man with way too much facial hair. If I had to think of an equivalent dog, I’d picture that.

She laughs. “I’m sure Great Uncle Alfred would be thrilled.”We pull into the parking lot at the hotel. I shut off the engine and look at Katie. I have no idea where the laughing, happy, relaxed Katie that was here a few minutes ago has gone. In her place is a stressed as fuck Katie.

She breathes heavily and sits forward, her hands shoved deep under her thighs. She stares out the window, ignoring my first two attempts at getting her attention. I tap on her shoulder. She jumps, then jerks around, then she clutches her chest, her eyes closed.

“Fuck,” she gasps. “You scared me.”

She takes the card I’m holding out for her, an embarrassed expression on her face.

“This is for getting into my room,” I say.

“Okay.” She frowns at me. “What if we see Julian? Or Alberto?”

“Then we’ll deal with it.” I shrug. “Alberto will have no clue who you are anyway, and Julian …Well, just follow my lead. Okay?”

She nods, then swallows, looking a little green.

“Okay.”

“If it helps keep you focused, then just think how I’m going to reward you later with my huge—”

“Is this really the time?” she snaps, glaring at me.

“Bath, is what I was going to say,” I finish. I grin at her when she flushes. “But, I’m more than happy to reward you with my huge cock, if you find that’s more of an incentive?”

“Should we go in?” she asks, ignoring my comment.

I chuckle, because I know she loves it.

“Okay, you go up now,” I say. Joking aside, I know how serious this is. “I’ll follow in a few minutes. If we go in separately, we’re less likely to look suspicious,” I explain. “I’m on floor nineteen. My room is the second from the end. One back from the window.”

She nods. A giggle erupts from her lips. I raise my eyebrows at her.

“Something funny?”

“Sorry, I was just picturing you in spandex,” she murmurs. Color creeps into her cheeks. “Not in a sexual way.”

“Are you sure?” I raise my eyebrows again.

She turns crimson. “Very sure. Lily said the exact same thing as you when we arrived here on Wednesday,” she rushes to explain. “It was like we were about to pull off a jewelry heist.”

“2004,” I joke.

“Excuse me?” she asks, confused.

“Halloween party. I went as Batman.”

I lean over and pop her door open, then I kiss her roughly on the mouth.

“I’ll have you know I rocked spandex.”I stroll past reception, in the direction of the elevators. I hope I look confident, because I’m sure as hell not feeling it. It’s like everyone’s eyes are on me. I know I’m just being paranoid, but I can’t shake the feeling this is all about to go to shit, with me right in the firing line.