“I have two rooms reserved for the next three nights,” he said, approaching the front desk. When the desk clerk looked up, Nate gave the man his name and waited while he keyed in the information on his computer.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Rafferty, we only have you down for one suite for the three nights,” the guy said, shaking his head.
“Is something wrong?” Jessie asked, walking up beside him.
“They only have one room reserved for us,” he said, barely resisting the urge to cuss a blue streak. She was never going to believe that it was the hotel’s screw-up and not him trying to pull a fast one on her. It wouldn’t be the first time he’d arrived at a hotel to find there had been some kind of computer mix-up. Of course, because of his VIP status with the hotel, they usually bent over backward to accommodate him. But he’d just as soon not deal with any kind of issues if at all possible.
“But you told me you were getting two rooms,” she insisted, her tone a little suspicious.
“I did.” He reached into the hip pocket of his jeans to fish out his wallet. Removing his identification and the hotel’s VIP card, he pushed them across the counter toward the man squinting at the computer like it held the secrets of the universe. “Please check your files again. I booked one suite online over three months ago and I called at the beginning of this week to book another.”
Without comment the man keyed the information into the computer, then after clicking the mouse a couple of times and keying in more information, he looked up. “I think I know what happened. Whoever you talked to when you called to make your reservation for the second room put you into the system as wanting one suite with two beds, instead of two suites with one bed.”
Nate shook his head. “Whatever. I need two suites.”
The guy shrugged as if he didn’t know what else to do. “I’m sorry, but I can’t give you another room because we’re booked solid. The rodeo is in town.”
Nate rolled his eyes and pointed to the fringed leather chaps draped over his arm. “I know the rodeo is in town.” He looked at the man’s name tag. “But that doesn’t solve our problem now, does it, Ralph? I’d really hate having to stay elsewhere from now on because you aren’t able to accommodate my request.”
Ralph quickly shook his head. “That won’t be necessary, Mr. Rafferty. I’ll see what I can do, but because of the rodeo being in town...”
“Yeah, I got that, Ralph. The rodeo is in town.” Nate took a deep breath as he tried to hold on to his patience. “Just check to see if there’s any way you can accommodate my request.”
“Nate, let’s just take the suite he has reserved for you,” Jessie said, surprising him.
“Are you sure?” he asked.
Since their talk a few nights ago, things had been going along pretty well between them and he’d like to keep it that way. But staying in the same room with Jessie, even if it was a suite, sleeping so close to her and not being able to make love to her would be like playing with a stick of dynamite. It was bound to get him into trouble and damned quick.
“I’m tired and I’m sure you are, too,” she said, nodding. “As long as there are two beds, it shouldn’t be an issue.”
A sudden wave of heat surged through his body and he gritted his teeth as he turned back to the desk clerk. Sharing a room might not be a problem for her, but it sure as hell would be for him. Unfortunately, staying in the same suite seemed to be their only option.
“We’ll take what you have,” he finally said, knowing he would be completely insane by morning.
“Would you like help with your luggage?” Ralph asked as he handed Nate a couple of key cards.
“No, I’ll take care of our bags,” Nate answered as he signed for the room.
A few minutes later, as he and Jessie rode the elevator to the fourth floor, Nate couldn’t help but wonder if having to sleep in such close proximity to Jessie instead of with her was his penance for the way he’d handled their relationship over the past two and a half years. If he thought he’d gone through hell the past several days with her in the room across the hall from his, he couldn’t imagine what it was going to be like sleeping just a few feet away from her. He was pretty sure he already had frostbite from freezing his ass off every night in a cold shower. How on God’s green earth was he going to make it through the next few nights without turning into an icicle?
“This is nice,” Jessie said, oblivious of his inner turmoil when he opened the door to their room. “These are amazing.” She touched the expensive silk comforter on one of the beds. “Which one do you want?”