“Oh.” I wasn’t sure if I felt relieved or confused. I went back to walking.
He rushed up behind me and put his arm back around my waist. “I’m not saying that I don’t want you.” He clarified. “Believe me, I definitely want you. I just thought it would be nice to spend time together where you aren’t worried about someone seeing us together.”
“We might have to go to Mars for that.” I muttered.
“I know a few pilots.” He nuzzled his face into my neck, and I laughed.
“Stop that.”
“Nope.” He put both arms around me and pulled me closer.
“People are going to start looking at us.” I warned him.
“All the more reason for us to stay in town.” He kissed my neck once more and then went back to just one arm around the back of my waist. “Seriously, just think about it. We could get something else to eat before we leave the mall or pick something up on the way to wherever you want to stay. Then we can spend the night talking and getting to know each other better.”
It wasn’t a bad plan, and I had considered staying the weekend. However, that was when I had been trying to avoidhim. Now, it would be to spend more time with him, but would we really just end up talking? I had a feeling we wouldn’t.
We walked through a few more stores. Stewart told me about his family back home when I asked what his mother was into.
“I have no clue.” He admitted. “It’s been quite some time since I’ve been at home long enough to really know. She’s a nurse, and I remember she used to have a collection of tennis shoes and those gigantic bags that women like to act like are purses.”
“Hey, don’t knock a good purse.” I shook my finger at him. “Sometimes you need a little extra space.”
He laughed. “Yep, she is going to love you.”
It made me a little nervous when he said that. Meeting someone’s family was a big deal. If I wasn’t sure we were ready to sleep together, I was for sure I wasn’t ready to even think about meeting his parents. How would we explain how we met? He’d told me his father was a doctor and with his mother being a nurse, they would both know that I’d broken the rules to be with their son. What if they reported me? I’d still lose everything.
“What’s wrong?” Stewart rubbed his hand up and down my arm.
“I was just thinking you should probably get her a new purse.” I sidestepped. “She might need a new one.”
“That’s not a bad idea.” He smiled and pressed a quick kiss to my lips. “Thanks, baby.”
He’d called me that in the restaurant. I had never been one of those girls that was really into pet names. I was a grown woman, not some child, but the way he said it made me all tingly inside.
“You okay?” He had his arm around my waist again.
“Yeah.” I smiled. “Maybe spending the night here isn’t such a bad idea.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“Alright.” He pulled out his phone.
In for a penny. If I was already across the line, I might as well enjoy it while it lasted.
I followed Stewart outside of Colorado Springs to a building that looked way fancier than what I had been expecting. This looked more like a resort than a simple hotel. The building was surrounded by trees and when I got out of my car and looked to the right, I could see all the lights of downtown Colorado Springs.
“This is a bit much, don’t you think?” I closed the car door.
“Not at all.” He popped his trunk and pulled out the bags of clothes that we both bought at the mall. It wasn’t as if either of us had planned for an overnight visit, so we’d needed something to sleep in and clothes for tomorrow.
The inside looked like we’d stepped into an old money mansion with plush couches and glossy hardwood floors. There was a winding staircase off to the side, and in the back of the lobby was one of those sliding glass doors that overlooked a lighted stone patio with a fire pit and a million-dollar view of the city.
“We can’t stay here.” I whispered to Stewart. “This place has to cost like four hundred dollars a night.” Given it was a Saturday night, it was probably more.
“Don’t worry about it.” He kissed my cheek and went over to check us in.
