I nodded. “I brought some ebooks to read. And downloaded some games. Plus, movies,” I said.
“Christmas movies?” he asked.
“Some. DoesDie Hardcount?” I laughed.
He got a very serious look. “Most certainly.”
Amazement rippled through me. Yet one more thing we had in common.
We talked for a while, then Dale turned on the TV to see what channels came with the room. It seemed like hundreds. Management was sparing no amenities right now. They owed us.
I must have dozed off because the next thing I knew Dale was speaking softly to me.
“Go to bed. I’ll take the couch.”
“Not fair to you,” I mumbled, half-awake.
“It’s completely fair. This couch is perfectly comfortable.”
I sat up and stretched, looking around. This wouldn’t do. The couch was much too short for his tall form. “You’re too tall for this couch.”
“I always sleep on my side. It’s fine.”
“The bed’s a king. We’ll fit and never know the other is there,” I argued.
He shook his head, then picked up his mug and took it to the bathroom sink to wash. I heard the water running. I followed, my own mug in hand.
I stood next to him and ran it under the water of the first sink.
“When the fire dies down, it will get colder. The couch isn’t as warm.” I didn’t know why I was fighting for him to share the bed. Was something wrong with me? And I still had no solid plan for if/when I went into heat.
“The heater works just fine,” he replied.
“I’ll take up less than half the bed. The rest of the space will go to waste.”
He turned to me. I had to look up to meet his gaze. His eyes looked worried.
“Unless you don’t want to share,” I added quickly. I hadn’t thought that maybe he’d be more nervous than I was. He had, after all, picked me out of the crowd to bunk with.
“I don’t want to be the cause of any discomfort.”
I smiled. “So far so good.”
“Are you being truthful?”
The question threw me. “Why would I lie? You’re paying as much for the room as I am. I want to be fair.”
“Thank you.”
He was so polite. That was in his favor, as well, since instinct and my inner reindeer sensed no danger from him at all. He wasn’t some murderer waiting to pounce.
“It’s settled, then.”
He nodded.
We took turns in the bathroom. He came out dressed in red boxer shorts and a short-sleeved white t-shirt, while I had brand new flannel pajamas, red plaid, I’d bought special for this trip.
Silently, we turned out the lights. The still-burning fire made rippling brown shadows on the walls.
