He produced the vouchers. We didn’t take them, so he set them on the counter. The kid looked like he might cry. I didn’t want to feel sorry for him, but he was just a kid who’d made a mistake. I clenched my teeth and took a few deep breaths. No point in showing anger.
Christopher turned to me. “I can’t drive back tonight. I’m beat. I haven’t been sleeping.”
I picked up the coupons, but they didn’t solve our current problem.
It wasn’t fair to be a jerk about staying. Christopher had done all the driving—it was his call.“We should stay.”
I paid with my credit card and tried not to worry about the sleeping arrangements.
Christopher put out his hand. “Keys please.”
“Room 315.” The clerk pointed to the elevator nearby.
The young man looked relieved we hadn’t made more of a fuss. He passed Christopher the key cards in an envelope with the Wi-Fi password.
“Breakfast is down here from six am until ten every day. Just down the hall.”
In the elevator, I said,“I’m sorry. I should have booked something from home.”
“Not your fault,” he said. “Next fact-finding mission, we’ll be sure and check accommodations. It didn’t occur to me it would be so busy, either.”
It was kind of him to let me off the hook. I smiled a nervous smile.
The room was standard. Nothing fancy, but at least it was clean.
“You’re tied in knots.” Christopher sat on the edge of the bed and kicked off his shoes. He leaned back, stretched, and groaned. “That feels amazing.”
“I could sleep on the floor,”I said, looking around the room for a likely spot.
He glanced at his phone. “Don’t be stupid. Hotel floors are gross. Notice I’m not offering to sleep there. I won’t bite.”
As I wiggled my toes, I raised an eyebrow and kicked off my sneakers.
“I won’t touch you. You’re safe with me.” He sat up.
“That’s not what I’m afraid of.”I was worried about what I might do. Not him.
He doubled over, laughing until his eyes watered.
It seemed more release than mirth.
“You don’t think you’re funny, Lizzie, but you’re hilarious.”
My eyes narrowed, but I couldn’t be angry at his good humor. I liked that he was seldom down or moody. He exuded positivity.
“I love that you’re worried about taking advantage of me. I’m twice your size. If I can resist temptation, so can you.”
He sounded like he was trying to convince himself.
“Temptation?”
“Don’t bother fishing for compliments. I’ll give them freely, but I can control myself.”
I said nothing. Could I?
“C’mere.” He patted the bed beside him and scooted back. “Come sit. Relax. Watch TV. Friends can sit together. You can even lean on me, and I won’t think you’re seducing me. I’ll even let you massage my feet,” he said with a wink.
I grimaced but sat beside him, trying to leave a little space. He was right. It felt fantastic to stretch my legs on the comfortable bed and relax. We propped ourselves up with the extra pillows and leaned back. Christopher draped his arm across the top and pulled me against him. Tears filled my eyes at his touch. He remembered how much I craved physical contact. Perhaps he did too. I lived apart from most people, keeping them at arm’s length, even my family to a certain extent. He was the exception, but it meant that even at the cellular level, I was lonely.
