I ruined the fucking moment with a tear-inducing yawn.
With a sigh that turned into a chuckle, he stood up and held a hand out for me. “Let’s get a cab before you turn into a pumpkin.”
I yawned again as he pulled me to my feet. I could kick myself. But I really was exhausted, and we had definitely been heading toward dangerous territory.
Eli wrapped an arm around my shoulder and tossed our trash in a wastebasket as we walked down to the street.
I didn’t know exactly what it was he had been planning on doing after his finger grazed my chin, but I couldn’t help but feel like I was falling asleep just as the movie was getting good.
Chapter Forty-One
We took the elevator up, and by the time the doors opened to our floor, I was swaying on my feet.
Eli walked beside me with his hand pressed lightly against my lower back. We stopped in front of my and Ruby’s room and I dug through my purse, searching for my room key.
“Shit,” I muttered once it became very clear that the key was missing.
I patted Eli on the shoulder, feeling a little punch-drunk from the lack of sleep. “I’m going to head down and get another key. I’ll see you in the morning.”
His mouth opened and closed before I spun around back toward the elevators, but then he caught my hand and pulled me back. “Stay. With me.”
My heart fluttered up into my throat. I shook my head, unable to voice a reason because I didn’t want there to be one.
“You’re basically asleep on your feet. And it’s almost morning, anyway. Come on. You and Ruby could both use some space.”
My resolve was rapidly crumbling.
“I’ll be a gentleman,” he promised.
Another yawn answered for me and I followed him to his room.
Eli’s hotel room was spotless. The only sign of life was the slight indentation on the end of the bed from where he must have briefly sat down before going out for the evening.
“Did you unpack your suitcase for a two-day trip?” I peered into hisbathroom to see his toothbrush perfectly situated beside his toothpaste, face wash, and cologne. The closet was cracked just enough for me to see his clothes hanging up in a neat row. “Red flag.”
He laughed. “I can sleep on the floor.”
“No, no,” I said. “The bed is huge.” I was already slipping under the covers, my shoes kicked off behind me. “Is this okay?” I asked. “Do you have a particular side?”
“This is okay,” he said softly, clicking off the bedside lamp as my head sank into the pillow. “I’m going to get a shower. Do you want to use the bathroom for anything? You could borrow a T-shirt if you want.”
I nodded. “That’s nice.” But my eyes were already closing.
* * *
A sliver of light passing across the room woke me as Eli walked out of the bathroom. This felt familiar. The clean, humid feeling of him showering in the other room. It was a good memory. One that I was currently inside of.
“Vera,” he whispered.
A soft noise of recognition pushed against my lips.
“I left you the T-shirt I was going to sleep in on the bathroom counter if you want it, love,” Eli whispered as he petted my back in circles.
I stretched into his touch, and managed to open my eyes, lashes blurring my vision for a moment. “Th-thank you,” I said as I felt the underwire of my bra rudely cutting into my side. I didn’t know that I could bring myself to go braless, but it would be nice to get out of these clothes at least.
The bed sank slightly as Eli sat down on the opposite edge.
I glanced over my shoulder to see him in cotton sleep pants and no shirt. The muscles in his back strained as he rolled his neck from side to side.
