Chapter Twenty-Two
Twenty-Two
I hated elevators with mirrors. I get that they were there to make the small space feel larger, but I looked haggard as fuck.
I forgot to ever take my hair out of the haphazard bun I threw it in before the cocktail reception and dinner. At some point, it slid down to the side of my head like a deformed unicorn horn. I had been working around Mr. Stevenson all night like this. Walking through the hall to my room, I shook out my hair, rubbing my scalp to ease the tension and pain the tight elastic caused.
In my customary Ember-not-giving-a-fuck fashion, I kicked my flats off my feet and high into the air. Where did each land? I didn’t know. That was future Ember’s problem. I let my bare feet sink into the soft carpet as I slipped my arms inside my shirt, freeing myself of my bra. I threaded it out through the armhole of my shirt and flung it in an arc, already forgotten. Braless and shoeless, I stepped into the bathroom, the white marble a cold shock to my tired feet.
I started the bath, dumping the full bottle of the gardenia- and-citrus-scented shower gel into the tub. I wanted to get lost in the bubbles. And that was what I did. I sank beneath those suds, the hot water like a warm caress telling me I did a good job. I stayed there until I was pruney. My eyelids were droopy, and before I could fall asleep in the tub, I mustered the last of my strength to get out. I wrapped myself in the white plush hotel-branded towel. I braided my hair back and put the three-dollar sheet mask on my face.
As I crawled into bed, I hoped the mask would make me look refreshed tomorrow. The bed was heaven. The pillows were ecstasy. I let my eyes close and welcomed the darkness and oblivion of sleep.
—
A large weight slammed on top of me. I erupted into screaming and flailing.
There was someone on top of me. This was how I was going to die.
A man shouted, “What the hell?”
I barely registered it as he rolled off me onto the bed, curled into himself as he felt the full force of my vengeance. I wouldn’t go down without a fight.
I may have screamed, “Die, motherfucker!” as I threw punches at my assailant with everything I had.
“It was a mistake! I’m not here to hurt you! Stop, please!”
The adrenaline was leaving my body. Logic was slowly returning. The man was retreating from me as my attack slowed. He didn’t try to touch me or fight back.
“I’m going to turn the light on. I think the hotel accidentally double-booked this room.”
I knew that deep voice.
“Danuwoa?” I asked.
The room was suddenly illuminated, and I had to squint my eyes and blink repeatedly to adjust to the light.
“What the hell is on your face, Ember?” Danuwoa, now standing by the light switch, laughed. He had the audacity to laugh!
“I thought you were here to rape and murder me! Don’t laugh at my mask!”
He rubbed his face, clearly exhausted.
“What time is it?” I asked.
“It’s almost two.”
“In the morning?”
He just leveled me with a look of pure impatience, then he blushed.
I peeled the dried sheet mask off my face. Note to self, never sleep in these again. I looked down at the crumpled mask in my hand, and it was then that I noticed my left nipple was exposed, peaked from the air-conditioned room and just flaunting itself for Danuwoa to see. I was naked in nothing more than the hotel robe that, in my sleep, had come untied, and now Danuwoa was in my room, and I was just sitting there dumbfounded. I covered myself and jumped out of bed.
“Grab your stuff,” I said as I marched to the door.
Still in shock at seeing my boob or my beating the shit out of him, he silently complied and followed me all the way to the lobby.
There was a lone worker standing at the front desk. He looked relaxed, listening to his music with one bud in his ear, his head bobbing to the beat.
I rested my arms on the counter, still in my now traitorous robe. “Hi.”
“Hello, how can I help you?” He ripped the white bud out of his ear.
“There appears to be a huge mistake. You see, there I was sleeping my good, deep sleep when I was awoken, most violently, by this man,” I said, motioning to Danuwoa next to me with my thumb.
“Ignoring the dramatics,” Danuwoa said, rolling his eyes, “it appears we were booked in the same room.”
We gave the receptionist the room number, and he began typing away making “mmm” sounds.
After the fifth one, I glanced at his name tag. “What’s going on, Raj? Those mmm s aren’t giving me any confidence.”
“I apologize, ma’am.” Did he just fucking call me ma’am ? That cheap-ass face mask didn’t do shit. I was hoping to be called miss until I was in my early forties. He continued, “This was a mistake on our end, and I was looking for alternatives, but we are completely booked.”
“You don’t have a single open room?” Danuwoa groaned.
“I’m so sorry. With the weddings and conferences, there are no vacancies this week.” Raj looked apologetic.
“There isn’t a supply closet we can throw a cot in for the night?” I asked. My exhaustion made my voice sound harsh.
“A cot?” Danuwoa questioned me. He looked pissed.
“I’m sorry, ma’am, it goes against hotel policy to allow a guest to stay in a closet.”
“Quit calling me ma’am, Raj. Is there anything you can do?”
“I can call surrounding hotels to book you or Mr. Colson a room there for the night. Then we can look tomorrow to see if anyone checks out early,” Raj offered.
Danuwoa sighed. At this rate, he wasn’t going to get any sleep and make it for all the early setup tomorrow.
“No, he can stay in my room,” I grumbled.
“Excellent. I’ll put you as our top priority for a free room. We will also comp you any room service for your stay for the inconvenience.”
Without another word, I trudged back to our hotel room, Danuwoa silently following. The poor man couldn’t catch a break.
Inside the room, I went to the mini-fridge and took out a cold water bottle and handed it to him. I was going to make sure these charges were comped too.
“I didn’t hurt you too badly, did I?” I sat on the edge of the bed while he sat in the chair.
“Besides my eardrums from all your screaming? Nah, I’ll probably have a bruise or two from where you kicked me, but you missed my family jewels, thankfully.”
“In my defense, I didn’t know it was you.”
“It was so dark, I just saw the bed and jumped in.”
“Well, the bed is mine.” I threw him the thin throw blanket that was falling off the bed. “You can sleep there.”
“This chair? Are you serious?”
“The floor is another option.”
“Ember.” He glared. I glared too. We had an Indian standoff. Finally, he caved and huffed, “Fine.”
I climbed into bed and watched as he kicked his shoes off and took off his pants and shirt.
“What are you doing?” I shrieked.
“Getting ready for bed.” He turned to face me. Danuwoa wore boxer briefs and had abs. Chiseled eight-pack abs.
“You don’t wear clothes?” I clutched my metaphorical pearls to my chest. This man would be the death of me.
“I’m a furnace.” He sat in the chair, arranging the thin blue blanket around his legs. It didn’t even cover his full torso.
“Okay, well. Good night.” I reached for the light switch, and we were encased in the dark. I knew I was bone tired. I should have gone back to sleep, but I was wired. I was aware of Danuwoa being only a few feet away from me, half-naked.
It didn’t sound like he was having any better luck. I heard him shift in that leather chair, his skin peeling off the material as he moved from sitting up to, I assumed, slouching. He grumbled again, and I heard him get up and lie on the floor.
“Oh my god, okay. You can sleep on the bed. I can’t sleep with you moving around all over.” I lied. I couldn’t sleep because he was in the room, period, but I did feel guilty he was relegated to the floor and overworked, no less.
“Great!” I heard him jump up and then felt the weight of him shift the bed as he hopped in.
“Over the sheets,” I warned.
It was dark, but I knew he rolled his eyes as he peeled back the down duvet and respected my wishes.
We lay there on our backs, arms across our chests. Inches apart. He was a furnace. He radiated heat, and now I knew he looked like a ripped god under all his clothes.
My thick robe was too scratchy. I was too hot. I was too aware. I curled my toes and clenched my core.
I made a huge mistake inviting him into my bed. We were forbidden work colleagues.
“You okay?” His deep voice was raspy from drowsiness.
“Perfect,” I hissed through my teeth.
At some point he dozed off as I lay there, listening to his even breathing. Calming my body from his proximity. The sky was starting to wake up when I finally gave in to sleep.