“Nothing wrong with that. I’ll get everyone organized so we can get them settled, and you can get back to her.”
I laugh softly and nod. “Sounds like a plan.”
Janice works through her people, as Sandy and I hand out room keys and take credit cards.
It takes a little more than an hour and a half to get everyone situated.
In the process, I’ve lost sight of Drew, but she emerges from the side stairwell with her arms overloaded with blankets.
I’m on my way to her before I can stop myself.
When she trips, I catch her around the waist before she can fall and the blankets tumble from her grip.
She’s steady against my chest though, and she’s looking up at me with big eyes.
Everyone sees, and I don’t care.
I want to kiss her, so I do.
Short and sweet and zapping me right to my core.
She’s partly dazed as she looks up at me, but the longing she gives off is exactly the reaction I need from her right now.
It gives me hope that she’s leaning more toward staying than leaving.
“You should be more careful, princess.”
“The blankets would have cushioned my fall.” But she’s grinning, almost back to her old self.
“Mmm. Not likely.”
Pushing at my chest, I release her and help her take the blankets off the top and hand them out to patrons before gathering the ones that touched the floor and disappearing to wash them.
She doesn’t need to, but I’ve already sent home half of the staff, so I appreciate it.
I don’t want to make her feel like an employee, or like she’ll need to work here if she stays, but I’m into the thought of her being comfortable enough to just jump in and do it.
Once the guests clear the lobby, I send all nonessential employees home. We don’t have the rooms leftover for anyone to stay.
“Hey, boss. I’ll stay at the desk tonight,” Jacob offers. “You can let Sandy go home to her family. I could use the overtime.”
Giving him a tap on the shoulder, I agree. “Sounds like a good plan. Go ahead and tell her. Make sure the girls in the cafe are out of here in the next half hour, too.”
“You got it.” He winks and heads off to do his job. He’s a good kid. Good employee. He’ll get a nice bump in his bonus this year for the initiative.
By the time everything has settled, the storm is raging and it’s a blanket of white outside.
Not safe for anyone else to leave.
I go in search of Drew, going down to the laundry to find her moving blankets from the washer to the dryer.
Her hair is pulled up from her neck, and I’m drawn to that slice of her bare skin.
Snaking my arm around her waist, I settle against her back and press a small kiss to the back of her neck.
She shivers, straightening against my chest to look up at me. Her cheeks pink and hair mussed, Drew looks so alive that it makes me a little bolder. Not that I need much of a push.
I take the blanket from her hands, and my mouth descends on hers. She opens to me immediately, and I’m lost in her. Her mouth is sweet from the peppermint candies we keep upstairs for guests.
