“Youloveto bring that up, don’t you?”
“It’s a pretty unforgettable experience.”
The doors slid open, and we stepped out into the hallway, dragging our suitcases behind us. By the time we reached our room, exhaustion had truly settled into my bones. Sliding the key card into the lock, I pushed it open, already fantasizing about sinking into a bed.
“If you even think about taking the window bed, you’ve got another think coming,” Inés warned, her voice dry.
“Whatever Her Royal Highness prefers,” I teased, stepping inside. “Home sweet—” The words caught in my throat as I froze in the doorway.
“What now?” Inés sighed, bumping into me from behind. “Are you...” She stopped mid-sentence, leaning around me to look into the room. Her brow furrowed as her gaze traveled to the center of the room.
Her silence was louder than any reaction.
“Well,” she said after a beat, her tone dry and razor-sharp. “This episode took a turn.”
“There’s only one bed.”
“How about we flip a coin for the floor?”
29
Inés
Sleepover—Hayley Kiyoko
Istared at the hotel ceiling, faintly illuminated by the streetlights sneaking through the curtains, contemplating exactly how I’d gotten myself into this situation.
Chloe had called Calvin to check that the rooms hadn’t been mixed up. His confirmation that he had a king bed to himself sealed our fate.
One bed.
Sharing a bed with Chloe Murphy? It tested every shred of my patience and self-control.
Selene hadlaughedwhen I’d called and told her about the room, and the family downstairs taking our photo, before telling me this was payback for not allowing her to properly negotiate the contract.
“Are you still awake?” Chloe’s voice, hushed but undeniably mischievous, came from my right.
I rolled over, squeezing my eyes shut like I could will myself into unconsciousness. “You’re supposed to be asleep.”
In truth, I’d spent the past hour trying and failing to sleep. Every accidental touch, every shift of the mattress made me hyperaware of her. The heat of her body. The sound of her breathing. Every detail was impossible to ignore.
“I can’t sleep,” she whispered.
I turned over, unable to suppress a groan. I could see the teasing sparkle in her eyes, the faint dusting of freckles across her nose.Beautiful. Dangerous.
“You do realize Calvin’s going to kill us tomorrow if we don’t get any sleep.”
“I know,” she said, completely ignoring me as she pushed herself up on her elbows. “But are you hungry?”
I sighed, giving up on the hope of rest. “Falling asleep isn’t happening, is it?”
“Not a chance.” She flicked on the bedside lamp. “I saw a vending machine by the elevator. Let’s raid it.”
“Carbs and sugar?” I asked, sitting up reluctantly. “Calvin will love that.”
She grinned, sliding off the bed and heading to her suitcase. I tried not to notice the oversized T-shirt she wore as pajamas, the hem brushing mid-thigh as she rummaged for shorts.
“Did anyone ever teach you to fold clothes?” I asked, glancing at the chaos spilling from her suitcase. Shoes and clothes were scattered haphazardly, like a tornado had ripped through it.
