Page 56 of The Sounds of Her
The hotel is quiet when we arrive, and the cars head into an underground parking garage. Brooke and Jenna have been talking amongst themselves as we drove while I surf the net and check my messages from B.
“She’s already called me six times,” Dale tells me as he casts a surreptitious glance at Brooke.
It’s like he can sense when Bianca enters anyone’s consciousness. Even if it’s a text message. I put my phone away. I’ll deal with that later.
We meet the rest of the guys and go straight up to our rooms via a private elevator. Jenna hugs Brooke at our door, eyeballs me over her shoulder, then winks. I laugh, she’s stealing my moves.
I use the key card to open the door and hold it open. A quick glance tells me it’s a suite with the bedroom to the left. I go in and put our bags down on the bed, then empty my pockets of my wallet and the key to the room and toss them on the bedside table.
I could do with a shower and a quick change of clothes. We’ve been travelling for a while and no matter how much I cleaned off, I still feel like there is sand where it shouldn’t be.
“I’m not getting my own room?” Brooke asks.
“You want your own room?”
“You expect me to share a room or a bed with you?”
“Given we got this hotel last minute, we’re lucky to have got the rooms we have. The person booking the rooms thinks we’re together, why would they get you a separate room?”
She’s scowling, but it’s a valid point. “I still think we should check.” Her frown remains fixed as she glances around.
“If it makes you feel better, I can ask, but it will raise questions.”
This is off to a great start. I make a quick call to reception, because asking someone in the team to check will raise flags. Brooke watches as I ask, and I’m right, there are no other rooms.
No need to tell her, she heard everything.
She peeks into the bedroom, then glances back at the lounge. “There is only one bed.”
“It’s a big bed though,” I wink, going to the mini bar, taking out some water and sodas, which I hold up to her. She shakes her head, so I put the water away and pop the tab on a can.
“That’s all you have to say?” Brooke looks incredulous. “It’s a big bed.”
“Well it is. You could fit four people in there.”
“You think we’re sharing a bed?”
“What else would we do?”
I turn to her as she eyes the couch. “That looks big enough for you.”
“Looks big enough for you too,” I smirk. “Why do I have to take the couch?”
“Because…” she pauses.
“Lawyer stuck for words. Never thought I’d see the day.”
I drop onto the couch and admit it’s comfortable, still don’t want to sleep on it though, not with that big bed. I’ll admit, I never thought about the sleeping arrangements, but I don’t see the problem.
Well, that’s a lie, I see the problem. We’re adults, we can sleep beside one another with no funny business.
“I guess we can toss a coin.”
“For the couch?” I kick off my sneakers and put my feet up on the coffee table.
“Of course, for the couch.”
“I’m not worried about sharing a bed with you. I’m more than capable of staying on my side, unless you can’t control yourself.”