Chapter Twenty
Morgan
The flight from New York to Las Vegas took six hours, and I spent the entire time wishing I’d booked Liam’s seat beside mine.
I’d had full control over the flight arrangements but I’d gotten too caught up in worrying about the optics of it all.
Would Jenny and Carlos, the two salespeople accompanying us, suspect something was going on?
Would my dad think it strange if he saw the travel information filed with the accounting department?
Most importantly, would we be able to keep our hands off each other if we were sitting so close for so long?
About an hour into the flight, while Jenny launched into a passionate conversation about the fish in her saltwater tank, I realized I’d made a terrible decision.
She was one of my best salespeople and a genuinely sweet person, but she wasn’t Liam.
Meanwhile, he and Carlos were seated directly behind us.
My overthinking and worrying too much cost me six hours next to the man I was getting desperate to spend some alone time with.
Luckily, Liam didn’t have the same problem. He’d insisted on handling the hotel reservations himself, and when we arrived, I discovered why. He’d made sure we had adjoining rooms.
Any concern about how that might look evaporated the moment we stepped off the elevator on our floor and walked down the hallway side by side.
He gave me a quick, private smile full of promise as we unlocked our doors to our suites.
I hadn’t even made it a few steps inside when I heard the unmistakable sound of him unlocking his side of the doors separating our rooms.
Feeling a little giddy, I did the same. Unfortunately, there was no time to take advantage of our close proximity.
With the three-hour time change putting us in Vegas early in the morning, we had just enough of a window to drop our things off before heading straight to the convention center for CES.
Jenny and Carlos were already waiting for us in the lobby when we came back downstairs, and the next several hours into the early evening were filled with work, but it was one of the most exciting business experiences I’d ever had.
With our booth already set up, we took our place among bigwigs in the tech industry showcasing their own innovative products.
That first day was also Media Preview Day, where national outlets, analysts, and content creators were granted early access to product announcements and major press conferences.
It was a whirlwind of activity, and we spent the afternoon talking to reporters and other company representatives in our industry.
For the first time, it felt like we were really carving out a place for ourselves in the tech world.
By the time the show closed for the day, we were all exhausted. Between the travel and nonstop socializing, my whole body ached and my feet were sore from standing all day. I wanted nothing more than to just curl up on a couch and relax.
Liam and I didn’t make plans, but I hoped he didn’t expect too much from me this evening. As much as I wanted to be intimate with him again, I was painfully aware that my energy level was nearly depleted. Sex tonight felt questionable at best.
As soon as I reached my room, I stripped out of my clothes and took a long, hot shower, letting the water soothe my sore muscles.
I assumed Liam was doing the same. I’d brought my new lingerie with me, but in that moment comfort won out, so I pulled on some plain cotton panties instead.
Braless, I threw on my pajamas—a tank top with a cat wearing sunglasses on the front, and a pair of pink cotton sleep shorts.
I’d just settled on the couch in the sitting area of my hotel room when there was a knock. Not from the entrance to my room, but from the door connecting mine to Liam’s.
“Come in,” I called out.
The door opened and Liam stepped through carrying a pizza box, his hair still damp from his own shower. He’d changed into a pair of gray sweatpants and a fitted t-shirt that did absolutely nothing to hide the muscles underneath.
My mouth watered, and not just from the smell of pizza.
“Where did that come from?” I asked curiously, because it certainly didn’t look like something on the room service menu.
“You didn’t see the pizza place across the street?” He walked over to me and set the box on the table in front of the couch, along with paper plates and napkins. “I ordered before I showered. They just delivered it.”
My stomach rumbled loudly in response. We’d been too busy at the show to grab a bite to eat, and it was well past dinnertime now. “Please tell me there’s pepperoni on that pizza.”
“Of course there is.” He flipped the box open, revealing a perfect pepperoni pizza with steam still rising from the cheese.
I didn’t hesitate to grab a slice, the first bite making me groan in appreciation.
Liam settled onto the couch beside me and picked up the remote. “Should we watch a movie? I’m sure we can find something on pay-per-view.”
“No porn,” I said around my mouthful of pizza.
He chuckled, his eyes dancing with amusement. “Not exactly what I had in mind tonight.” He scrolled through our options. “Would you prefer an action flick or romantic comedy?”
“Action,” I said, glancing at him from the corner of my eye, curiosity getting the better of me. “So, what are we doing here? Like, is this a laid-back date situation?”
He paused mid-scroll, turning to look at me with an easy smile. “This is just us hanging out. But I do plan on taking you on a real date tomorrow night.” He picked up his own slice of pizza. “I know we’re both exhausted, so tonight is just about relaxing and taking it easy.”
Warmth spread through me. I hadn’t expected him to arrange anything at all, let alone an actual date. “You didn’t have to plan something—”
“I wanted to.” His voice was firm, but gentle. “You deserve more than just adjoining hotel rooms and a secretive hookup, Morgan. I want to do things right this time.”
The sincerity in his eyes made my breath catch. This man, the same one who’d walked away from me a few months ago, was actively trying. Planning. Making an effort to show me I mattered.
“Okay,” I said softly, unable to stop my smile. “I’d like that.”
“Good.” He turned back to the TV, scrolling until he found a movie. “How about this one? Cops, car chases, and gratuitous explosions?”
I laughed. “Perfect.”
After finishing my dinner, I settled back against the couch cushions, tucking my legs underneath me as the opening credits rolled. The movie was exactly what he’d promised, all explosions and shootouts with paper-thin character development, but I enjoyed it anyway.
The best part came about halfway through, when Liam reached over and gently pulled my feet onto his lap.
“What are you—oh.” The word turned into a low moan as he pressed his thumbs into the arch of my foot, finding that sore, aching spot from hours of standing in heels.
“Feel good?” he asked, his voice a low murmur.
I nodded, his strong hands working magic on my tired muscles.
“You were incredible today, by the way,” he said, both of us only half watching the movie. “The way you handled that reporter from TechSphere was impressive.”
“I was nervous the whole time.” I let my head fall back against the couch cushion, my eyes drifting closed. “I kept thinking I’d say something ridiculous and it would end up in print.”
“You didn’t though,” he said, his voice warm with praise. “You were confident. Professional. Sexy as hell in that business suit and skirt that had me staring at your ass way too often.”
My eyes opened, finding him watching me instead of the TV. The movie’s blue light flickered across his face, catching in his dark eyes.
“That pencil skirt was not the best choice for a long day,” I admitted.
“Still distracting as hell, in the best ways.” His thumb circled a particularly tender spot on the ball of my foot, making me groan softly in response. “Though I have to say, I’m partial to this look, too.”
I glanced down at my well-worn, cat-wearing-sunglasses tank top and shorts. “Really? This does it for you?”
“Everything about you does it for me.” The words were casual, but the heat in his gaze was anything but. “But yeah. You comfortable and relaxed, letting me take care of you? That’s…” He trailed off, his jaw tightening slightly.
“That’s what?” I prompted, the movie forgotten for now.
“That’s something I never thought I’d want this badly.
” He switched to my other foot, his touch gentler now.
“I’ve spent so long avoiding anything that felt too serious and domestic, but seeing you curled up on this couch in your pajamas, the two of us just connecting like this—simple, real, no pretenses—it’s perfect. ”
My heart did a slow roll in my chest. “Really?”
“Really,” he said, and then a sinful look glimmered in his eyes. “And as much as I want you and have imagined fucking you a dozen different ways since that evening in my office, I promise I have no expectations for tonight beyond exactly this.”
I laughed softly. “What if I have expectations?” I teased.
“Then you can keep them for tomorrow.” He pressed his thumb firmly into my arch. “After our date. After I’ve wined and dined you properly.”
I studied Liam for a long moment, this man who kept surprising me, who was trying so hard to do things differently this time. Who wanted more than just the physical, even when we were alone in a hotel room with every opportunity to take advantage of the moment.
We fell into a comfortable silence, his hands still working their magic on my feet while car chases and gunfights played out on the TV screen. And as the exhaustion finally started pulling me under, one thought remained.
This—us together without any expectations—felt right. Tomorrow we’d have our date. But tonight, this effortless connection was more than enough.