Heather let out a loud groan. “You’re kidding me.”
“I can offer the room at a very reduced rate,” the receptionist said. “It’s the least we can do after we made such a huge error.”
“I knew something like this was going to happen,” Heather said through gritted teeth.
Simon sighed. “I don’t like this any more than you do, but we’re just going to have to make the best of it. I’ll stay out of your way if you stay out of mine.”
Heather jerked back, startled. She narrowed her eyes. “Fine.”
With that, she started to march away from the front desk, leaving him behind to deal with the rest of the arrangements for their room.
When they stepped into their room minutes later, Heather dropped her duffel bag onto the floor at the head of the bed. “I’m calling the bed for now. You can sleep on the couch.”
“That’s what I planned on doing anyway,” he said tightly. “I might not be the most social man in the world, but I still have my manners. The lady gets the bed. The gentleman takes the couch.” He paused. “We don’t have to be happy with this, but we can still be civil toward each other.”
She crossed her arms. Simon forced himself to look away, remembering that the sensation of Heather’s bare flesh beneath his fingertips was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Never to be repeated.
“Am I on the clock or off?” she asked.
His jaw clenched. “I don’t know.”
“Well, you should know,” she chided, her hazel eyes burning with a passion he still craved, “because I’m your assistant. And if we’re going to have to share a room, we need to establish a system here.”
“It’s five-thirty in the evening, Heather, so you’re off the clock,” he muttered. “Watch TV. Do whatever you want. Just go to bed early, because we need to be up at six tomorrow morning if we hope to get breakfast in time for the start of the conference.”
Heather stared. “You want to get up early, so you can get the free breakfast? You’re a billionaire—what do you need free food for?”
“Why would I spend money when I don’t have to?”
“Are you still cheap, Simon?” Her lips twitched. “Because you were cheap back when you were a normal person.”
“I’m still a normal person,” he insisted. If this situation was less uncomfortable he might have found her memory of him amusing. Most people around him hadn’t known him when he was younger. And even if they did, they’d never have the guts to bring up the past to his face the way Heather was now. His wealth had a way of making people hide their true feelings from him.
“No. You’re not. Your shoes cost, like, two thousand dollars,” she said. “And I’m pretty sure your car is some kind of million-dollar prototype that nobody else on the planet owns.”
“How could you know that?” He arched an eyebrow. “Come to think of it, you know a lot about me.”
“Do I?”
“You mentioned tabloid rumors about my...trysts, was it?” He crossed the room and took her small hand in his. Simon didn’t know why he did it. Maybe part of him wanted to soothe her. Make amends. It was clear that having to share a room with him was setting her on edge. Even if they hadn’t slept together, such an arrangement would have been nerve-wracking for any employee. “Have you been reading about me for all these years?”
She let out a breathless laugh. “Don’t be ridiculous.” Heather lowered her eyes. “I’m sorry I got a little agitated earlier.”
“No need to apologize,” he said. “Neither of us wants to be stuck together like this.”
“Being here with you isn’t a punishment, Simon,” she said. “I know things are strange right now, but if I have to be awkwardly stuck with someone I’m glad it’s you.”
His hand cupped her chin, making her look up at him. “You shouldn’t talk like that,” he told her.
“We’re out of town,” she whispered. “Being in this room with you feels like fate. Like it was meant to be.”
“It was an accident. A mistake on the part of the hotel,” he said.