“Outside the door would be great,” I tell her as I give her my credit card for the night.
“I figured you kids would want to settle in and relax.”
“Daryl told us this place is the best in town,” Tate adds, remembering that Daryl told us to mention him to Elizabeth. Maybe he gets a kickback.
She waves her hand in the air and laughs. “We’re the only place in town. Daryl’s such a character.”
“That he is,” I say as I take back my credit card when she hands it to me.
“He’s my brother-in-law. One of the nicest guys in town, though. My sister couldn’t have done any better.”
Again, I couldn’t do small town. The very thought makes me want to jump out of my skin.
She hands me a key with a giant white feather dangling from the keychain. “Top floor. Complete privacy. It’s the only room up there, but beware, the floors are thin,” she says before biting her lip like she’s reading my thoughts.
“We’ll be quiet.”
“No one said you had to be. Just letting you know you may have an audience if you get too loud.” She winks at me.
Tate giggles softly behind me. “If we’re too much, just give us a holler,” she tells Elizabeth. “It’s our first night without the kids.”
I glance over my shoulder at Tate. She made us sound like a couple, something I want more than I think I’ve ever expressed to her.
Tate gives me the same wink Elizabeth just gave me, but hers is much more sinful.
“Oh dear. That calls for a celebration. I’ll add a bottle of wine on the house to go with your dinner.”
Tate turns her attention back toward Elizabeth. “You’re the best, Elizabeth.”
“Call me Liz.”
“Liz,” Tate repeats. “I’m Tate and this is Wylder, but you already know that from his credit card.”
“It’s lovely to meet such a beautiful and young couple. We don’t get many around here.”
I glance around, noticing we’re the youngest people in the place by decades. We sure don’t look like anyone else either. If there were a picture next to “stuffy” in the dictionary, it would be of this group.
“You’re too sweet,” Tate replies as I shift on my feet, ready to get the small talk over with and head to the seclusion of our room. “Thanks for everything, Elizabeth. I’m going to get this grumpy fella up to his room so he can wash up for dinner.”
“Of course. Of course,” Elizabeth says, shooing us toward the stairway. “Enjoy yourself.”
“I plan on it,” I tell her with a wicked smirk.
“One more thing,” Tate says, and I growl under my breath, but she just shushes me with a pat on the arm. “Are there robes in the room? We didn’t bring anything to change into since we were only supposed to be gone for a few hours.”
“There’s two in the closet near the bathroom. They’re extra soft and freshly laundered.”
“Excellent,” Tate breathes as her boot finally touches the first step.
I do everything in my power not to push her upward, making her move faster. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say she’s stalling on purpose to drive me crazy.
“Small talk’s over, princess,” I tell her, touching her denim-covered ass.
She shoots me a look over her shoulder, which only solidifies my thinking. She is stalling. “I’m moving, aren’t I, Mr. Grumpy? You in a hurry for a shower?” she asks, pushing back on my hand as I try to propel her forward faster than her snail’s pace.
“I’m in a hurry to get you naked,” I tell her, quickly shutting her up.
4
