Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
W hen they danced, Warren wasn’t gentle with her like Hayden had been, but swirled and twirled her until her cheeks ached from laughing.
Finally, as the music switched to a slower pace, she flopped against his chest.
“I think they’ll all be satisfied that you stayed to cheer me up,” she said, resting her cheek on his shoulder as they swayed with the music.
“You’re a terrible dancer,” he said into her hair.
“Yeah. That makes two of us.” She laughed when he poked her side, then grabbed his hand to adopt a proper dancing stance.
She was already warm from the dancing, but the heat of his hand seared through the thin fabric at the back of her dress, and his breath sweeping over her hair felt like a desert breeze.
“I guess you need to go home,” she said when the song ended.
“I probably should.” He took her hand and led her from the dance floor. “Promise not to make up vicious stories about me with your friends the minute I leave? ”
She swatted at his arm, then yawned when he picked up his coat. “I think I’m going to call it a night and go up to bed.”
“Good plan. I always think it’s best to leave before the end of a party. It gives an air of mystery – as though you’ve got better places to be.”
“So you never stay until the end of parties?”
He shook his head and leaned close to her ear. “Not because I’m in any way mysterious. I just don’t particularly like parties.”
“You did a good job of pretending tonight.”
“I quite enjoyed this one.”
“I should say goodnight,” she told him, linking arms with him and heading towards her gang, who were flinging themselves around at the edge of the dance floor. “We’re going!” she called over the music when they got near.
“Decide to stay after all?” Jake asked Warren.
He opened his mouth, then glanced at Anna.
“I don’t blame you,” Dev said, swinging his hips to the music. “Make the most of that hotel room!”
“He’s drunk,” Kylie said merrily. “He’s not wrong, though. Enjoy the rest of the night.” She gave an exaggerated wink, then fell about laughing.
“Night,” Hayden said, passing them and heading to the bar.
As she watched him go, Anna’s brain flicked back to what he’d said earlier – that he should never have broken up with her.
Had he been drunk, or just trying to cheer her up? He hadn’t seemed drunk, but she didn’t spend much time with him any more, so maybe she wouldn’t be able to tell.
Warren squeezed her fingers. “Let’s go.”
They were halfway up the stairs when she realised he was going the wrong way.
“I thought you were going to your car. You don’t need to walk me to my room.”
“I know, but I think it’s suspicious if I leave now. If I were really your boyfriend, there’s no way I’d leave you to stay here alone.”
“You might if you had to work in the morning,” she said, feeling slightly tipsy despite only having drunk two glasses of wine.
“I’d call in sick.”
She squinted, unsure if he was really planning on staying the night or if he was just walking her to her room.
“Not that I can get away with calling in sick,” he added.
“I don’t suppose you can.” She stopped outside her door and fished in her bag for the key card, burying her disappointment that he hadn’t genuinely been suggesting he was going to take a sick day.
He had his phone in his hand and began typing a message. “I can probably get someone to cover for me at breakfast.”
Tapping the card against the lock mechanism, she watched the light turn green, then pushed at the handle.
“Are you really not going to work in the morning?” she asked, still not sure what was going through his head.
“They can manage breakfast without me,” he said, following her into the room.
She grinned as she plonked herself onto the edge of the bed and kicked her shoes off. “I’m just imagining their glee at getting to work without you breathing down their necks.”
He gave her leg a gentle nudge with his own, then continued to the table by the window, where he stopped and rubbed his hands together. “Now we can really get this party going!” He glanced over his shoulder and flashed a mischievous grin.
“If you’re thinking of hitting the mini bar, I don’t think there is one.”
He rolled his eyes. “Who needs a mini bar when we have a selection of assorted teas?”
She laughed loudly and flopped back onto the bed. “Is that what you do when you mysteriously slip away from parties before the end – go home and drink tea?”
“It’s not just tea,” he told her, walking to the bathroom with the kettle in his hand. “There are also biscuits. Never let anyone tell you I don’t know how to party.”
Happily, she stared at the ceiling, only moving to roll onto her side when he’d returned and clicked the kettle on to boil.
“Did you have a good night?” he asked, dropping into the chair by the window.
“I did. Way better than I expected.” Her mind flicked back to dancing with Hayden, and she thought again about what he’d said. When she snapped back to the present, Warren was staring at her. “I really shouldn’t have lied to my friends. I don’t know how I’m going to get out of this now.”
“I’m sorry if I was too convincing. What was your original plan for explaining your return to single status after the party?”
“I didn’t really think about it. Pretending you were my boyfriend seemed like a good idea when Carla suggested it.”
“How often do you hang out with your friends?” he asked, sinking back in the chair. “Could you just drag me along with you often enough to keep up the pretence?”
She pulled a face at him. “I think I’ll confess to the girls. The guys can think whatever they want. Or I could become a recluse and never socialise again.”
“I like your thinking. I often dream of a hermit life.”
“No you don’t!” She laughed. “You love socialising. It’s effortless for you.”
“It’s okay every now and again,” he said, sifting through the tea bags. “What flavour do you want?”
“Anything,” she said, then watched as he tore the packet of the teabag. “Are you really staying over?”
He cast her a quick glance. “I thought I might, if you don’t mind. It’s not very appealing to drive home in the dark. Plus, Dev was very effusive about the brunch tomorrow.”
“It is a good brunch,” she agreed.
“So it’s okay with you if I stay?”
“Yeah,” she said uncertainly.
“Don’t look so nervous,” he said, pouring water into the mugs. “I’ll sleep on the floor. Or if you’d rather, I’ll drink my tea and go.”
“You’re welcome to stay.” She hadn’t for a moment felt nervous at the prospect of him staying.
It had been a swirl of excitement that had swept through her stomach.
Warren genuinely wasn’t a fan of driving in the dark.
That had been part of his reasoning for staying over at the hotel.
If pressed, he might admit that it also had something to do with how much he enjoyed the pretence of being Anna’s boyfriend, and the prospect of continuing their act at brunch the following morning.
He slightly regretted the decision at two o’clock in the morning when he woke on the floor and couldn’t get comfy again.
Dragging himself into the armchair, he dozed there for a couple of hours before giving up and lying hesitantly on the bed beside Anna.
He kept his distance and stayed on top of the covers.
She’d suggested he sleep in the bed too, but had said it with enough uncertainty that he hadn’t even considered taking her up on the offer.
Now, he waited a moment, but when she didn’t stir, he let his body relax into the soft mattress and was asleep again in no time.
The next time he woke, it was to sunlight spilling through the gap in the curtains.
“Morning,” Anna said as he squinted against the light .
He blinked a few times until she came into focus. With her hair spilled around her on the pillow and the light slanting onto her face, she looked angelic.
“Sorry,” he said groggily. “I managed on the floor for a while, and the chair for a bit… then I gave up and opted for comfort.”
“It’s fine.” She repositioned her head on the pillow. “I said you could sleep in the bed too.”
“What time is it?” He turned to the digital clock beside the bed, putting a hand across the top of it to block out the daylight enough to read the numbers. “I never sleep that long,” he said, surprised to find it was already mid-morning.
“It’s good to be lazy sometimes.” Sitting up, she discreetly adjusted her pyjama top. “I should get showered.”
“Are we supposed to be at brunch at a specific time?”
She shook her head. “There’s a buffet until eleven. Kylie messaged and said she’s just getting up. Frannie and Jake are already downstairs. I guess Dev and Hayden are still sleeping.”
She disappeared into the bathroom, and Warren settled back down on the pillows, not sure whether he’d prefer not to bump into Hayden at breakfast, or if he’d like him around so he could make it clear Anna was off-limits.
He groaned at the thought. Because she wasn’t off limits at all. She was free and single and could do whatever the heck she liked.