Her sexy lips pushed out in a pout, but her next words belied her expression. “You’re right. So fine to the suite. I can be an adult, too,” she said on a sigh.
He chalked her argumentative behavior up to exhaustion, and with that settled, he strode back to the desk clerk and completed their registration, handing Ashley a key card.
Exhausted, they made their way to the twelfth floor and walked to the end of a long hallway, where Sebastian let them into the suite.
A few minutes later, a bellman delivered their luggage and, at Ashley’s direction, put her bag in one room and Sebastian’s luggage in another.
Sebastian tipped the man and he walked out.
“I’m tired,” she said, meeting his gaze. “I’m going to turn in. What time do you want to get going in the morning?”
“I’ll order room service. We can eat here and leave by eight thirty. We’re just a few blocks from the office. We’ll be there by nine.”
She nodded and closed herself in her room, leaving him to stew over the fact that she’d rebuilt her walls after that kiss, making them even higher than they’d been before. It pissed him off, because not only had that kiss been mutual, it’d been the hottest fucking thing he’d ever experienced. And that was saying something.
* * *
Ashley woke up, showered, and readied for the day, choosing a dress, knowing she’d be doing business at the Knight Time Technology offices. She put on makeup and stalled for time, embarrassed to go out to the suite and deal with Sebastian after her little tantrum in the lobby last night. She’d been exhausted, thrown off guard by the kiss, and upset with herself for wanting to pick up where they’d left off as soon as they’d arrived at the hotel. Sharing space would only make keeping her distance more difficult, and she’d taken the surprise circumstances out on him.
She walked out of the room and found him sitting on the terrace drinking a cup of coffee and reading something on his iPad. Breakfast, in a variety of silver-covered plates, awaited her.
She gingerly joined him, clearing her throat when he didn’t look up right away. “Good morning,” she said.
He put his cup down on the table and rose as she lowered herself into her seat, sitting when she did. “Hi.”
The scent of baked goods and waffles or pancakes permeated her senses. The sun shone overhead with a coating of light fog disturbing her view. But a glance over the terrace showed her the city of San Francisco, buildings and curved streets in the distance.
“Hungry?” he asked.
Her stomach grumbled and she grinned. “Starving.”
She reached over and poured herself a glass of orange juice, taking a fortifying sip before speaking what she’d rehearsed in the shower. “I’m sorry about last night,” she said. “I was just taken off guard by the one-suite arrangement, and I got snippy. I know you already apologized and I won’t bring the past up again.”
“I appreciate that.” He met her gaze, warm blue eyes staring back at her. “Pancakes and bacon?” He was obviously as eager as she to put last night behind them, for which she was grateful.
He lifted the silver tray cover, revealing her guess had been correct. She wasn’t about to deny her rumbling belly despite her mother’s words always lingering in her head. Ashley’s normal breakfast of Greek yogurt, strawberries, and granola didn’t hold a candle to the feast in front of her.
“God, yes. I haven’t had a decadent breakfast like this in forever.” She allowed him to pile her plate full of food and pass over the maple syrup. “You’re going to make me fat,” she muttered.
“Nothing wrong with indulging,” he said, his knowing gaze on hers. “You’ll still capture the eye of any man who looks.”
She flushed at the compliment, secretly pleased by his words. But on the other side of them was the fact that he obviously remembered her mother’s not-so-subtle chiding whenever she would go for the more fattening foods their housekeeper and cook served. He’d always been there, sneaking her Hershey bars, encouraging her to enjoy her life.
She cut a piece of pancake now drowned in syrup and put it into her mouth, groaning at the delicious taste. His eyes darkened at the clearly sensual sound coming out of her mouth, causing her to squirm in her seat. He might have promised to keep his hands to himself, but that didn’t mean she wanted him to, she admitted to herself, the kiss still at the forefront of her mind.
But they were here for business, and it was best she focus on that. “I know your company is all high tech now, but I once heard Ethan talking about your great-great-grandfather having started the business.”
Sebastian, still drinking his coffee, nodded. “Rumor has it, and I have no idea if it’s true or not, that our great-great-grandfather was a master locksmith.” His sexy lips curved upward in a smile as he went on. “They say he was responsible for breaking Billy the Kid out of jail. Personally, I always thought it was an old wives’ tale. But it makes for good business conversation when we’re trying to close a deal.”