Chapter 15 Diego
Diego
“You did this on purpose, didn’t you?” I barked the moment Lucas picked up the other end of the line. “You conniving asshole.”
“Hi Diego,” he sing-songed back, his voice far more chipper than it should’ve been. “How’s the snow?”
“Three inches deep and getting deeper,” I snapped.
“Huh, I would’ve guessed it would be more.” I could almost hear him waggling his eyebrows. “Are you enjoying your extremely expensive hotel room? Did you take the biggest one just to get back at me?”
“It was the only one left.”
“Must be a nice room for that price.”
“It…” I paused, pinching the bridge of my nose and wondering if I should tell him the truth. “It’s… the marital suite.”
I could hear Lucas cackling on the other end of the line.
“The marital suite? Oh my god, this is better than I could’ve planned. Tell me everything! Does it have rose petals? A heart-shaped bed? One of those ceiling mirrors?”
“Yes to the rose petals, no to the heart-shaped bed, and thankfully no mirrors on the ceiling,” I grumbled, pacing the length of the room while keeping my voice low.
Hayden was in the bathroom, and I didn’t want him to hear me complaining.
Not after last night. Not after everything changed between us.
“And where is our dear Hayden right now?” Lucas asked, his voice dripping with suggestion.
I glanced toward the bathroom door where I could hear the shower running. “Taking a shower.”
“And you’re not in there with him? I’m disappointed, Diego.”
“We already did that part,” I said before I could stop myself.
The shriek that came through the phone was so loud I had to hold it away from my ear. “I KNEW IT! Beau! BEAU! Get in here! Diego finally made his move on Hayden!”
“Jesus Christ, Lucas, can you not announce it to the entire ranch?” I hissed, feeling my face heat up. “And I didn’t make a move. It just... happened.”
“Things like that don’t just happen, darling. It’s chemistry, plain and simple. So, tell me, how was it? Is he as uptight in bed as he is in real life? Did you rock his world? Did he rock yours?”
“I’m not giving you details,” I said firmly, though I couldn’t help the smile that crept onto my face at the memory of Hayden covering the both of us in cum. “But it was... nice.”
“Nice?” Lucas scoffed. “If all you can say is nice, then you clearly didn’t do it right.”
I rolled my eyes, even though he couldn’t see me. “It was more than nice, okay? It was fucking amazing. But that’s all you’re getting out of me.”
“Fine, be that way. But I want you to know that I’m taking full credit for this. If I hadn’t arranged for you two to get snowed in together—”
“I knew it!” I cut him off. “You did check the weather forecast, you lying bastard!”
Lucas laughed, not even bothering to deny it. “Of course I did. And it worked, didn’t it? You should be thanking me.”
The bathroom door opened, and Hayden stepped out with a towel wrapped around his waist, his hair damp and tousled. My mouth went dry at the sight of him, all those freckles scattered across his shoulders and chest, the memory of tracing them with my tongue still fresh in my mind.
“I gotta go,” I told Lucas quickly.
“Ooh, is he there? Put him on!”
“Not happening. Goodbye dickhead.”
I hung up before Lucas could say another word and tossed my phone onto the bed. Hayden stood there, droplets of water still clinging to his chest, his sandy hair dark with moisture. Those freckles that drove me wild were on full display, and I couldn’t help but stare.
“Was that Lucas?” he asked, one eyebrow raised as he adjusted his towel.
“Yeah.” I nodded, trying not to look too obvious as my eyes traced the lines of his body. “He’s... thrilled about the snow.”
“I bet he is.” Hayden’s lips quirked into a small smile. “Did you tell him about...?” He gestured vaguely between us, a flush creeping up his neck.
“I didn’t give him details, if that’s what you’re worried about.” I took a step toward him, drawn like a magnet. “But yeah, he knows something happened. He’s insufferable.”
Hayden laughed softly, the sound making my heart do a little flip in my chest. “I figured. He seems like the type to gloat.”
“You have no idea.” I reached out, unable to help myself, and ran a finger along his collarbone where a cluster of freckles stood out against his skin. “You’re something else fresh out of the shower, you know that?”
His breath hitched, but he didn’t pull away. Instead, he leaned slightly into my touch. “Is that a compliment?”
“Definitely.” I let my hand trail down his arm, feeling goosebumps rise in its wake. “How you feeling this morning? Any regrets?”
The question hung between us, heavier than I’d intended. I held my breath, waiting for his answer. Because despite my usual confidence, I was terrified he might say yes.
“No,” he said finally, his blue eyes meeting mine. “No regrets. You?”
Relief flooded through me. “Not a single one, Freckles.”
He rolled his eyes at the nickname, but I caught the small smile he tried to hide. “So, what’s the plan? Are we still stuck here?”
I nodded toward the window where snow was still coming down steadily. “Roads are closed until at least noon tomorrow. I checked while you were in the shower.”
“So, we’re here another day.” He said it like he was testing the words, seeing how they felt.
“Looks that way. Hope you’re not too disappointed to be stuck with me.”
Hayden’s eyes traveled down my body, lingering on the bulge in my jeans that had started forming the moment he walked out of the bathroom. “I think I’ll survive.”
The heat in his gaze sent a jolt straight to my groin. I stepped closer, backing him against the wall. “Just survive? I was hoping for a bit more enthusiasm than that.”
His hands came up to rest on my chest, fingers tangling in the fabric of my shirt. “This is about as enthusiastic as I get,” he said, leaning forward and kissing me softly. “This definitely wasn’t how I planned on spending my month in Sagebrush.”
His words hit me harder than I expected. “I can’t convince you to stay longer?” I asked before I could stop myself.
Hayden paused, staring down at me with an unwavering gaze. “Are you going to stay in Sagebrush longer?” he asked. “Last thing I knew, you were getting ready to leave yourself.”
“I… I mean…” I stammered. “Yeah… I was gonna leave after the weddin’.” I glanced at the floor, then back up at him. “But I… I’m really enjoyin’—”
“Don’t,” he interrupted. There was no anger or desperation in his voice, just a simple statement. “We barely know each other. Let’s not go making this more than it is.”
My stomach twisted, but I found myself nodding.
“Yeah… You’re right,” I conceded. I was getting ahead of myself.
And he was right, we both had limited time in Sagebrush, then our paths diverged completely.
“Let’s just… enjoy ourselves?” I said, putting on that cocky grin I knew he loved. “As often as we can.”
Hayden nodded. “I think I can agree to that.” He leaned down once more, kissing me softly. “So… what are we doing today then?”
“I’m starving,” I said, glancing at the hotel room service menu on the nightstand. “How about some breakfast first? Then maybe we can see if this place has anything to do.”
Hayden walked over and picked up the menu, flipping through it with a small frown. “This is... expensive.”
“Lucas is paying,” I reminded him with a grin. “Let’s make him regret that credit card.”
That got a laugh out of him, a real one that made his eyes crinkle at the corners. “In that case, I’ll have the steak and eggs. And maybe the pancakes. And definitely coffee.”
“That’s the spirit.” I reached for the room phone and placed our order, adding a fruit platter and pastries for good measure. When I hung up, Hayden was looking at me with an amused expression.
“You’re really milking this, aren’t you?”
I shrugged, unrepentant. “Lucas has been messing with me since the day I showed up at Turner Ranch. Consider this payback.”
Hayden sat on the edge of the bed, still in just his towel. “What’s he like? Lucas, I mean. I’ve only met him briefly at the diner.”
“He’s...” I paused, trying to find the right words. “He’s loud, nosy, and has absolutely no filter. Definitely a New Yorker. But he’s also one of the most genuine people I’ve ever met. He’d give you the shirt off his back if you needed it.”
“Sounds like Dolly,” Hayden said with a small smile. “She’s always in everyone’s business, but people almost seem to appreciate her for it.”
“They do. She’s practically the town therapist.” I sat next to him, close enough that our shoulders brushed. “You know, we’ve got at least twenty-four hours to kill. What do you want to do?”
He glanced at me, a hint of heated mischief in his eyes. “Besides the obvious?”
My body responded immediately to his suggestive tone, but I forced myself to play it cool. “I was thinking we could check out the hotel amenities. They might have a gym or something.”
“A gym?” Hayden looked scandalized. “We’re trapped in a luxury hotel with nothing to do, and you want to work out?”
“What can I say? I like to stay in shape.” I flexed my arm jokingly, and Hayden rolled his eyes.
“You’re ridiculous.”
“You like it,” I countered, nudging him with my shoulder.
He didn’t deny it, which made my heart do that stupid little flip again.
A knock at the door announced our breakfast, and I jumped up to answer it.
The server wheeled in a cart loaded with covered dishes, the rich aromas making my stomach growl.
After signing the check with a generous tip on Lucas’s dime, I closed the door and turned to find Hayden eyeing the food hungrily.
“This looks amazing,” he said, lifting one of the silver covers to reveal steak, potatoes, eggs, and fried onions.
“You really gonna eat all that?” I asked, not seeing how someone so small could pack that much food away.
“Maybe,” he grinned. “Been starving myself for years to get into magazines that would never take me and a boyfriend that never touched me. Might as well eat a little now.”
The admission hit me harder than I expected, making me pause as I grabbed my own plate of food. Tommy really had done a number on him.
“Well, I think you look perfect just the way you are,” I said before I could stop myself. I cleared my throat, embarrassed by how sincere I sounded. “I mean, you’ve got enough freckles to make up for any missing pounds. And I like a guy with an appetite.”
He smiled at that, a genuine smile that reached his eyes. “You and your freckle obsession. It’s weird.”
“It’s not weird, it’s appreciation.” I sat across from him at the small table by the window, watching as he cut into his steak. “They’re like... stars. Like you’ve got the night sky mapped across your skin.”
Hayden paused, fork halfway to his mouth. “That was almost poetic, Diego. I’m impressed.”
“Don’t get used to it,” I warned with a grin. “I’m just a dumb cowboy.”
“You’re not as dumb as you pretend.”
We ate in comfortable silence for a few minutes, both of us hungrier than we’d realized.
The snow continued to fall outside, blanketing the parking lot and the world beyond in pristine white.
It was peaceful, sitting here with Hayden, watching the snow while we shared breakfast. It felt. .. right, somehow.
“You know,” Hayden said, breaking the silence, “I’ve been thinking about what to do today.”
“Yeah?” I took a sip of coffee, watching him over the rim of my cup.
“There’s a movie channel included with the room. We could order dinner later, maybe watch something?”
“Like a date?” I teased, but my heart was racing at the suggestion.
He rolled his eyes, but there was no real annoyance behind it. “If that’s what you want to call it, sure.”
“I’d like that,” I said, surprising myself with how much I meant it. “What kind of movies do you like?”
Hayden shrugged, pushing his empty plate away. “I don’t know. Action, comedy... not really into horror.”
“Let me guess, you scream at the jump scares?”
“Shut up,” he muttered, but he was smiling. “I just don’t see the appeal of being terrified for fun.”
I laughed, finishing the last of my breakfast. “Fair enough. No horror movies.”
After we finished eating, I pulled out my phone to check for messages. There was one from Dolly asking if we were okay, which I answered quickly, letting her know her nephew was just fine. Then I glanced up to find Hayden standing by the window, watching the snow with a contemplative expression.
“Penny for your thoughts?” I asked, moving to stand beside him.
“Just... thinking about how weird life is sometimes,” he said softly. “A week ago, I was miserable and alone, planning to hide out in Sagebrush until I could figure out my next move. And now I’m trapped in a honeymoon suite with a hunky cowboy and feeling better than I have in years.”
I couldn’t help but grin at that. “Hunky, huh? So, you admit you think I’m hot?”
Hayden blushed, those freckles standing out even more against his reddened cheeks. “I think we established that pretty thoroughly last night.”
“Yeah, but it’s nice to hear you say it.” I moved closer, wrapping an arm around his waist and pulling him against me. “For the record, I think you’re pretty damn gorgeous yourself.”
He leaned into me, his body fitting against mine like it was made to be there. “Even with all these freckles?”
“Especially with all those freckles.” I pressed a kiss to his temple, inhaling the clean scent of hotel shampoo in his hair. “So, movie date it is. But that’s not for hours. What should we do until then?”
Hayden turned in my arms, a sigh escaping his lips. “Let’s go see if they have that gym,” he grumbled. “I’m gonna need to work off this massive breakfast.”
“Me too,” I grinned. “Come on, let’s go see what they’ve got.”