Eden’s eyes flew open to see Drew. He wasn’t sitting in the driver’s seat but was standing by the open passenger door of the truck. She quickly sat up and looked around. “Where are we?”
“At a hotel. I’ve checked us in. Separate rooms, of course.”
She nodded. “Thanks.”
“But there is a connecting door.”
Eden blinked. Maybe she wasn’t so thankful after all, although she honestly didn’t think she had anything to worry about. He’d specifically said he wasn’t attracted to women her age. Yawning, she asked, “Why are you standing there?”
“I wasn’t sure you’d be able to walk or if I would have to carry you. I called your names a few times, but you were dead to the world.”
“I’m surprised, since I’d taken a nap when we left Phoenix.”
“It can happen when you aren’t the driver. So, can you walk, or do I need to carry you?”
“I can walk.”
“Okay.” He stepped back, and she turned to step out of the truck.
Unfortunately, her foot missed connecting with the running board, and she would have fallen flat on her face on the pavement if Drew hadn’t been there to catch her. She practically tumbled into his arms. “I’m usually not this clumsy,” she said, staring into the darkness of his eyes.
“Maybe I should carry you to your room after all,” he said inwhat she thought was a voice throatier than before. And did their faces need to be this close?
“No, I’ll be fine, Drew,” she said, although she didn’t believe for one minute that she would be, since she was noticing something between them that hadn’t been quite so obvious before.Sexual chemistry. Granted, he was a hunk, handsome as sin, and from the sounds of it, a real lady-killer. But why had her attraction to Drew Steele become so blatantly obvious now?
Heck, she only knew his last name because Delores had mentioned it. Then, when his truck had pulled up at the designated spot to pick her up, she had seen the name on the side of his truck’s door -the Steele Trucking Company. Was he related to the owner? Is that why he felt he could bend the rules and regulations a little while still keeping his job?
Clearing her throat, she said, “You can put me down now, Drew.” Was she imagining things, or had his mouth moved closer?
“Can I?”
“Yes, please.”
Although she thought it took him a minute longer than necessary, he set her on her feet. “Thanks.” She grabbed her backpack off the truck’s floor and then moved away, allowing him to close the door.
He surprised her by tucking her arm in his. “The parking lot needs repaving in some areas, so I’m making sure you don’t miss a step.”
“Thanks.”
It didn’t take long to reach the breezeway where the hotel rooms were located. He opened her door. “Remember, I’m right next door if you need anything. Just knock on the connecting door.” When she nodded, he added, “I requested wake-up calls for four in the morning. If we’re on the road by five, we shouldreach New Mexico by noon. I asked Judy to have a two-box breakfast at checkout.”
She lifted a brow. “Judy?”
“Yes, she and her husband Norm own the hotel.”
Eden nodded. “Friends of yours?”
“Yes. Before I worked with my current employer, I used to haul loads from Charlotte to LA regularly. This hotel was on my route, so I stayed here often.” He paused a moment and then added, “I hope you get a good night’s sleep—even if you slept most of the way here.” He grinned.
Was that a subtle way of making sure she would be up and dressed by five? Or was he simply teasing her? “I’ll be ready to go, Drew.”
He met her gaze for a moment, then nodded, a small smile still on his lips, and left. It was only then that she released a deep breath. She glanced around her hotel room. It didn’t have the luxuries and amenities she was used to, but it was clean, and the bed looked inviting. And it had a telephone. She couldn’t call Amélie, since she was probably in Paris now. Nor could she place a long-distance call to Sophie without Drew being charged for it.
Somehow, she needed to get word to Amélie that she was alright, even if it meant going through Sophie. She was quickly discovering just how difficult life was when you didn’t have money. Crossing the floor, she took a peek inside the bathroom and smiled when she saw the tub. After the day she’d had, a bubble bath sounded perfect.
She hated that Drew was using his hard-earned cash to pay for her room. Once she arrived in Paris and started modeling, she would pay him back.
**
