He helpfully rearranges me into a more comfortable position and snuggles up against me.
“Did you eat anything on that blind date of yours?” he asks as he’s tucking hair away from my face.
“Um… Does a breadstick count?”
Bates props himself back up to give me a stern look, and I shrug. “I had too many questions.”
His lips twitch at the corner. “What would you like from the kitchen?” he asks, reaching for the room service menu on the nightstand.
“An omelet,” I reply without pause. “I’m a huge fan of breakfast for dinner,” I say with a smile. “What time is it? Is the kitchen even open? If it’s night-shift, they might only do grilled cheese and fries.”
Bates scans the menu, and we both glance at the nearby alarm clock to see that a new day started twenty minutes ago. “I’ll ask.”
He makes the call, and it quickly becomes apparent that the night clerk isn’t going to bring me an omelet.
Bates glances at me, then steps away before lowering his voice to say something into the phone. I lean closer, trying to hear, but all I catch is: “Mm-hm…mm-hm… I see. Thanks, I’ll see you shortly.”
He hangs up and looks around for his jeans. “I’m going to pop down to the front desk for a second. Is there anything you don’t eat? Allergies?”
I roll onto my back as he disappears into the bathroom. “I eat everything.”
His head pokes out the door, and his bottom lip gets drawn into his mouth as he stares at me a moment. He gives a single nod and disappears again.
The water runs a while, and when he comes back out, he looks a lot tidier. He also smells of soap when he hands me a glass of water.
“Should I get drinks too?” he asks. “What goes with breakfast for dinner? Probably not coffee. Beer? Juice?”
“Maybe… herbal tea? Something red and berry-ish. Most of the other ones taste like grass soup.”
Bates grins at me. “You got it.”
He heads for the door, but once he’s reached for the handle his body language changes. His spine is dead straight and his shoulder are tensed in an unnatural position.
My body stiffens too, and my mind leaps into action, identifying plausible reasons for the change.
Bates turns to face me, and the haunted set of his eyes makes me think something terrible is about to happen. He wets his lips as if nervous. “You’re going to be here when I get back, right?”
He wants me to stay? The tension leaves my shoulders, and I nod. “Of course. You said I could have your big cock all night.”
“Good.” He smiles, but it fades to a frown as he continues to watch me. He makes an all-encompassing circular gesture at me. “Why’d you get all stiff and worried-looking just then?”
“I… thought you were going to kick me out.”
“What?”
“Well, maybe you… You might not want to leave a complete stranger in your room unattended.”
He studies me for a moment. “You don’t feel like a stranger to me, Lana. Sit tight, and I’ll be back soon.”
9
BATES
Istand outside my hotel room and take a deep breath before I open the door.
It gives me a moment to reflect on what I’ve done, and even though that moment is brief, it’s more than enough time to realize there’s a good chance I’m a fucking idiot.
I signal down the hall to the bellhop so he’ll wait a beat before he follows, then I let myself in.
