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The clerk looks relieved to not have to deal with our drama anymore, and honestly, I can’t blame him. “I’ll need to see some ID and a card to put down for the room,” he says.

Tate takes care of it before any more arguments can break out.

We get checked in and then directed to a room up a flight of stairs, at the end of the hall. It’s a quiet walk there, just the sound of our bags and our feet as we head for the room.

Tate lets us in with his key, and there’s a tension between all of us as we pile in and put our stuff down. There’s only one bed, a king at least, but it looms in the middle of the room like a promise that there’s going to have to be an awkward conversation later tonight about who’s sleeping where. An armchair that has definitely seen better days sits in the corner, and other than that, the room has a door to the bathroom, a TV on a dresser, and a tiny closet. That’s it.

It would be cramped with four people who like each other, let alone four people and the huge amount of awkward tension we’re putting out right now.

Ares steps past me, his arm brushing mine as he goes to put his bags in the corner.

“Do you mind?” he snaps halfheartedly.

“Oh excuse me,” I bite back. “I didn’t even think you’d be going back for Christmas. I thought you’d have other things to do.”

“It’s not just your hometown,” he says, and now there’s real irritation in his tone. “It’s mine too, so I can go back whenever I fucking want. Plus, it’s the hundred year anniversary of the festival. Of course I’d be there.”

I roll my eyes. “Fine. Whatever.”

“If anything, I’m surprised you managed to find time in your perfect music star life to go back.”

I grit my teeth. He has no fucking idea.

I turn away from him, only to find Callan’s eyes on me again. My heart skips in my chest, and suddenly, I need to be anywhere but in this room with these men. It’s like I can’t breathe from the tension in the air.

I put my things on one side of the bed, grab my toiletry bag, and escape into the bathroom, breathing out a sigh when I close the door between me and everything else.

The first thing I do is wash my hands, washing away the grime of the airport. I splash some water on my face and lay out a few things along the counter in a neat row. Each tiny travel container is labeled, and something about seeing them like that makes me feel a little bit better.

The door opens, and I watch in the mirror as Tate steps in to join me. I’m immediately hit with the memory of him joining me in the airplane bathroom, and I force that out of my mind. If I’d known he was Ares’ friend, I never would have let that happen. I never would have been so bold. No matter how good it was.

Tate’s smiling as he leans against the wall. There’s more room in this bathroom at least, but it still feels crowded with him in here.

“I’ll be done in a minute,” I say pointedly.

He shrugs, like he’s not bothered. “You know, I ran a lot of scenarios in my head when I joined you in that bathroom on the plane, but this was not one of them.”

I glare at him in the mirror. None of this is his fault, but I can’t help but be annoyed. I should have kept my distance from him. If I hadn’t given in to that stupid urge, I wouldn’t be in this situation right now. And at the same time, I can’t help but remember how good it was. If I concentrated, I could still feel every place his hands touched me and the thick, hot press of him inside me.

So I don’t do that. Obviously.

“Do you need something?” I ask him.

“Just wanted to check in. You seem… tense.”

“Oh wow, I wonder what that could be? Maybe because this is a clusterfuck, and I didn’t think this was how my day was going to end up.”

“Sometimes changes are blessings in disguise.”

“Are you calling what happened between us a blessing?” I level a stare at him, trying to go for annoyed and unimpressed.

Tate shrugs again. “Are you saying it wasn’t?”

“It was sex,” I tell him flatly. “It’s not that serious.”

He smirks at me, undaunted by my attitude. “I’d say it was a little bit more than that. Maybe it wasn’t the best thing since sliced bread, but you were definitely enjoying yourself in there. I could tell.”

“Maybe I’m just a really good actress, and I didn’t want to hurt your feelings.”