18. Sebastian
Ishould have chosen Brooklyn first, and I know it.
But it’s quiet at this hour. The first rush of check-outs hasn’t begun. The staff in this part of the hotel is minimal. It’s almost like being alone.
We walk past the break room. “Did Jessica show you security yesterday?”
“It was locked up.”
“It usually is. There’s an office for the guards back here, along with a holding room, should we need it. There’s a buzzer, though. You can get their attention quickly.”
Our steps are muffled in the carpeted hall. I scan us into a small room with multiple desks. Hank sits at one of them, beneath the security monitors that flash black and white feeds of the various cameras on site.
“Hank, this is Mila, one of the new interns. I’ll try to bring each of them around.”
Hank stands, looking like any tourist in jeans and a polo shirt. He’s the incognito guard today. He extends a hand. “Nice to meet you, Mila.”
“Is Jeff around?” I ask. “He’s on duty today, right?”
“I saw him leaving for his parking lot rounds.” Hank jingles the keys in his pocket. “How many new interns did we get?”
“Five,” I say. “Two are on front desk this week. The others will rotate through.”
“The boldest and brightest from all over. I like it.” He glances at the clock. “Time to head to the lobby.” He tips his ball cap at Mila. “Nice to meet you.”
Then we’re alone in the office.
Only a handful of people have a badge that will let them back here. Havannah, Raya, me, and security. Even maintenance and housekeeping have to be let in.
“The holding area is through here,” I tell her.
I scan us through a door in the back wall to another simple room with a table and a few cushioned chairs. “It’s rare we use it,” I say, “but sometimes we have a guest who destroys a room, or waves a weapon around, or even hurts somebody. We keep them here until the police arrive.”
She looks around. “When was the last time anyone was in here?”
“Early summer. It’s not used often.”
Her eyebrows lift.
“I didn’t bring you here for anything illicit. I mean. I wouldn’t suggest—” Why am I a tongue-twisted schoolboy around her?
“Sebastian, it’s fine. I get it.” She walks through the room, brushing her fingers along the backs of the chairs. “It’s been harder than I thought, working with you. Do you think it’s going to be a problem?”
Now that’s a question. “I think we can handle it.”
She grasps the back of a cushioned office chair. “Are we, though? I don’t feel like I’m handling anything. Bertie said we have to stop looking at each other the way we are or everyone is going to figure it out.”
“Bertie knows?”
Her gaze skitters away. “Not details. But he knows something happened.”
“I showed a lot of interest in you before I realized you were an intern. Bertie’s observant.”
She grips the back of the chair like it’s the only thing holding her up. “I like it here. I don’t want to get fired.”
My footsteps are quick as I move closer. “You won’t. I won’t let that happen. Aisha talks about everyone. She thinks everyone’s hooking up. Nobody takes her gossip seriously.”
“Okay.”
“I know how I’m looking at you,” I tell her. “I’ll try to do better. It’s just hard.”
That gets her attention. Her dark eyes meet mine. “Is it?”
“Completely. I’m ridiculously attracted to you. I want it all. My job for me. Your internship for you. And you. For me.”
She shakes her head. “I don’t get men like you.”
That takes me aback. “What do you mean? What’s there to get?”
“No, that’s not what I mean. I don’t get to have you. I’m never the choice.”
She said this before, in the hotel. “Why wouldn’t you be?”
She lets go of the chair to stand directly in front of me, arms crossed. “You think I held onto my V-card on purpose?”
“Lots of people have reasons to wait.”
“Nobody wanted it!”
Something about her saying this makes me feel feral, like a wolf protecting a den. “I did.”
I draw her to me, my mouth covering hers. I know I shouldn’t. I absolutely should not. But I want her to know that she shouldn’t feel that way. Not in the least. That she’s perfect. Everything I want to get to know.
Everything I want in my bed. Again.
She melts into me, and I pull her body tightly against mine. She’s so luscious in my arms. I want to touch everything. Do everything.
My fingers tangle in her hair. A hotel full of rooms. We could be in any of them. I want to break in each and every one.
I linger on her mouth, making up for all the times I’ve had to hold myself away from her. I want to kiss her for hours, for days.
She breaks away, gasping.
I hold her shoulders so she will look at me. “Don’t let anyone make you think you’re not beautiful, sexy, and perfect. You are all those things. Plus smart. And talented. Look where you landed, all on your own.”
Her face is pained. “But if I do this with you, if we’re together, then they will think I’m just a chick who sleeps with the boss to win.”
Fuck.
I release her.
“Okay.” I run my hand through my hair. “You’re right. We can’t do this if that matters to you.”
“I need to think about it,” she says. “You’re a lot. You’re more than I bargained for.”
Hope sparks in my chest. “So, this could happen?”
“Maybe. Give me some time.”
“Can I kiss you again since I have to wait?”
She lets out a shaky laugh. “I would love that. I love your kisses.”
I want to do so much more than kiss her. When I pull her against me this time, I make sure she knows it. I lift her by the thighs to wrap those Castle Hotel pant legs around my waist. I slip my hand beneath that official vest, and snake my way to her skin until my thumb slips beneath her bra.
Her breathing speeds up, but I keep my mouth on hers. I kiss her and kiss her and kiss her until she finally breaks free, laughing. “Set me down, you brute!”
I kiss her again before I let her feet down to the floor.
She shakes her head. “I get it. You want me. You want to keep doing this forever.” She brushes her hand against my cheek. “Give me until the weekend. I’ll come to you. I promise. I want to. I just found out what all the fuss was about.”
My whole body feels alight at her words.
She wants this.
And no one has ever had her but me.
Fuck. It’s an intoxicating mix.
Even though we’re alone, I lean close to her ear to say, “Please know that when I get you, I’m going to do wild and unspeakable things to you for hours.”
She takes in a sharp breath. “Understood.”
I step away, eager for time to pass, for the weekend to come. “Let’s get you back to your training.”
“And you can show my beautiful blonde coworker this security room.” Her voice is teasing.
But I’m serious as I pull her against me one more time. “I can’t picture anyone in this room with me but you. And I promise you, if you’ll let me, I’ll make you cry out like you did that first night in every room of this hotel. And there are hundreds. Hundreds and hundreds of rooms, of beds, of sofas, of tables.” I lean in close to her ear. “I know which days the sex dungeon is open.”
I can feel her heart race, which sets off mine.
“Okay,” she says.
And then we hurry out of the security office, straightening our clothes.
Full of anticipation.