I close my eyes. Breathe in. Breathe out.
“We have reservations,” I mutter. “It should be under Damon Marks and Ellis Donlan.”
She taps around on the old computer. “Welcome to the Hilton, Mr. Marks and Mr. Donlan.”
We’re both handed our own keycards. The entire walk to our room, Ellis goes on a long-winded monologue about how he’s a big fan of the hotel’s interior. It’s fabulous, he says. Reminds him of his own apartment.
It takes everything in me not to give him any type of reaction.
“Love this room.Love it,” he says, as soon as we make it inside. “Absolutely gorgeous.”
Ellis is right, but I don’t tell him that.
It really is gorgeous, and… too damn romantic. The room’s massive and the windows are framed with heavy-set curtainsand give us a view of Buffalo’s snow-covered skyline, the television’s turned on to an infomercial about the hotel’s facilities, and there’s an actual wooden desk with an office chair that I could probably use to knock off my reports for the year. That’s a plus, at least.
The king-size bed looks extremely comfortable, too. I could just sink into it.
Wait.
Bed?
Ellisgigglesas soon as he sees it. “This certainly brings back memories.”
I stare at him like he’s lost his mind.
He flashes me a grin and finally takes off those god-awful shades of his, and I frown at his bloodshot eyes.
“You look terrible,” I state.
“Wow, thank you.”
“Why did you go on this trip if you’re sick?”
He shrugs. “I thought it was just a stupid cold so I powered through it. I really wanted to see Killian Schultz in action.”
Killian Schultz? My frown deepens. He’s the player I’m eyeing as well. Camrose’s defenseman wasn’t drafted when he was younger, but now he’s having a breakout year and is eligible for free agency.
Ellis is here to watch the same player?
Awesome.
He gives me that smile of his—the same one that disarmed me the first day I met him. “Judging from how upset you look, I’m guessing he’s the same player you’re here for.”
“Possibly.”
“May the best man sign him, I suppose.”
“Now that I know you’ve got your eyes on him, I suppose that’s going to be you.”
“Aw, Dee, fight harder. I know your manager’s been wanting you to expand your roster. I can back off, if you’d like.”
“Please be quiet.” I pinch the bridge of my nose.Whothe hell is this guy? How does he get away with saying such arrogant things so effortlessly?
I grab my suitcase—his, too, because he really does seem weak as hell today—and lug it inside the room. He doesn’t say anything as I push both our suitcases against one side of the wall.
The silence is comforting, but since it’s Ellis, that doesn’t last long.
“I’m serious, though. Are you dead set on signing Killian Schultz?” He takes his coat off and hangs it over the desk chair. The collar of the sweater he’s wearing underneath is drenched in sweat. “Because if you’re not, I’d really like him on my roster. He’s openly queer, did you know that?”
