His blue eyes look intense, with a slight twinge of humor in his irises. There’s a hint of a five-o’clock shadow on his stubborn jawline, and he’s undone the top button of his shirt.
“Ah jeez, I just realized you’d traveled all day. You must be tired.”
I suddenly realize that he must be exhausted; it’s been a long day, and he’s likely out of it. I’m likely out of it as well because he is very much looking like a man I wouldn’t mind taking a nibble out of, but I’m almost positive it’s because of sleep deprivation and that I am also tired. And now I am hungry, for actual food. Darn that delicious vanilla scent filling the room.
“I’ll live.” His lips twitch as he continues to gaze at me.
It’s weird how much his stare is affecting me. It’s unsettling, and it feels like his gaze is penetrating every fiber of my being.
I wonder if he’s a mind reader and trying to infiltrate my brain. Wouldn’t that be a cool trick?Hey, Mia. Just came back from NYC, and now I can read your brain.
I will myself not to think about how hot he looks in his crisp light blue shirt and how silky his dark hair looks, falling in front of his eyes.
Oh shit, my mind was wandering again.
“What am I? An amoeba under a microscope? You’re looking at me like you’re trying to find my nucleus.” I push past him and take a seat on the edge of the bed. Partially because my feet are killing me. I was not made to wear high heels for hours. And partially because being too close to him was making me think thoughts I absolutely did not want to think about Luke.
“Find your nucleus?” He laughs.
I wonder if he’s going to remind me of how poorly I did in our Biology and Chemistry classes in high school. He still randomly teases me about crying for Kermie, the frog I nicknamed right before we had to dissect it. I knew then and there med school was never going to be seeing me.
“It’s not funny.” I can’t resist leaning back on the bed. It is even more comfortable than it looked, and my body is rejoicing in pleasure at the soft cushioning. “I’m hungry.” I look around the room. “Do they have any snacks in here? I need something to eat. With all the drama tonight, I didn’t remember to grab any actual food. Just drinks.” I yawnsuddenly. “And before you say anything, yes, I should just go to bed first, but I don’t want to wake up hungry.”
“Noted.” Luke takes a few steps forward until he’s looking down at me, lying on the bed.
His expression is amused, and I’m taken back to our teenage years—when we’d go camping in his vast backyard, watch movies on his iPad, and I’d moan and groan for him to get me snacks to munch on while we watched B-horror movies that he loved and I hated. It was the popcorn and chocolate that made the movies palatable to me; I’d spend half the time eating, half the time burying my head in his shoulder, trying not to see the gruesome bloody scenes of multiple people being beheaded and eaten. I hated those movies with a passion, and yet those movie nights were one of the best parts of our shared relationship.
“Popcorn, chocolate, ice cream, or Pop-Tarts?”
“I’m not fifteen anymore. I need more sustenance right now.”
“Like?” He takes a seat next to me, and I roll over to look at him, feeling my skirt rolling up as I shift on the bed. He leans down and casually brushes my hair back out of my face, his eyes crinkling as he smiles at me. “I’ll go out and grab you something now.”
“No, you don’t have to do that.” My heart races a million miles a minute. Why is he looking at me like that? “You should get ready for bed. Seeing as you were traveling all day, I will let you have the bed tonight, and I’ll take the couch, but from tomorrow on, I’m taking the bed, and you’re taking the couch.”
“Really, Mi-Mi? Neither one of us needs to take the couch. We’ve shared a bed many times.”
“Yes, but never as a fake dating couple.”
“So?” He rolls his eyes at me. “What does that have to do with anything? We have the rules, right? Plus, it’s us. It’s not like we’re suddenly going to be all over each other …” He pauses, and his eyes search mine, a sneaky expression on his face. His blue eyes appear to be laughing at me. “Right?”
“Well, duh.” I sit up suddenly and groan as my stomach gurgles. I brush my hair back and attempt to straighten my dress out. “There is no way that anything is going to happen.” I jump off of the bed and head to the side of the room. “Ooh, look, they have a menu. We can order room service.” I grab it up, my eyes surveying the list of options. “I think I’m going to get a cheeseburger and fries. You want anything?”
“I’ll have the same.” He looks around the room. “You know what I just remembered?”
“What?”
“We don’t have any change of clothes.” He frowns. “My luggage is at my grandparents’ house, and all your stuff is still at home, right?”
“Yeah, I didn’t bring anything. I wasn’t even thinking about it. I thought we weren’t getting our rooms until tomorrow afternoon.” My stomach growls again, and I look down at the menu again. “Maybe I’ll add some onion rings as well.”
“Onion rings?” Luke doesn’t look impressed. “I guess that means we’re not having a practice make-out session tonight then, sexy Mia?”
“Very funny, Luke.” My stomach flips at his words. I try not to look at his lips. “I don’t think we need to have any practice sessions. I think we’re both adults who know how to kiss. Now let me order this food before I fall to the ground from hunger.”
“I think you’ll be okay for an hour.” He shifts closer to me and then stops. “But if not, I can head down to the lobby and grab you a bite from the deli. I think it is twenty-four hours.”
“You don’t have to do that, but thanks.” I shake my head. “Though do you think they have clothes?”
