Page 36

“No; but the room comes with a double bed,” she offered, “Unfortunately it’s all we have tonight. We had a huge influx of tourists from the neighboring town. “But I’m sure you and your boyfriend wouldn’t mind, right?”

“He is not my boyfriend,” I inhaled deeply before continuing, “We’ll take it; can I pay with my card?”

She winced, “We are a cash only establishment ma’am.”

I fought the urge to bury my face in my hands and scream.

What establishment in this age and time do not use a card to pay and where the hell am I supposed to find cash at this hour of the day.

If I was superstitious I would say that the universe was out to get me and this was karma for something I had done at some point in my life.

“Is there an ATM?” I heard Nathan asked from behind me and she nodded.

She directed him on where to go and I watched as he set down our things and left. She offered me a warm smile as I made my way to one of the uncomfortable wooden chairs to wait.

Nathan returned after a while and when he had paid her, she handed him a simple key. She directed him to the room and he thanked her then gestured for me to follow.

The room itself wasn’t as bad as I would have thought.

It was fairly spacious although still small by my standards but there was a double bed in the middle of the room, a cupboard to the left where Nathan put our stuff and another door right next to the cupboard that I am assuming leads to the bathroom.

“You’re probably itching to get out of your clothes,” Nathan said, “You can use the bathroom first.”

I didn’t waste any time after he said that. I grabbed my box of wipes and my emergency toiletry kit and made my way into the bathroom.

Pulling my dress off was difficult without help but I was able to do it after about ten failed tries. The next thing to go was my makeup and I took a long and well deserved hot shower before finally drying myself off with a towel.

It was after that I realized that I didn’t come into the bathroom with any clothes. I wrapped myself with the towel and slowly made my way back into the room .

Nathan was seated on the bed when I walked in and I saw his eyes rake over my body slowly before finally coming to settle on my face.

“I think I finished up all the hot water,” I said in an attempt to break the ice and he chuckled softly.

“I would have been surprised if you didn’t.”

He stood up and as he walked towards the bathroom, I stepped aside to allow him pass. I must not have moved enough because his hands still brushed up against my side and the sheer heat from him skin had me clenching my thighs together.

As soon as he disappeared into the bathroom, I rushed to put on my nightclothes but cursed when I realized what I had packed.

I didn’t plan to be stuck alone with Nathan so I had packed a very short pair of pajama shorts that barely covered my ass cheeks and a tight tank top. I knew I had limited options so I put it on and just in time because I was pulling down my shirt when Nathan walked out.

Thankfully, he was fully clothed in sweatpants and a plain grey tee but it also made me feel awkward because he was clothed and here I was practically half naked.

Once again, he raked his eyes over me and I saw them linger at my exposed legs before he cleared his throat.

“What happened earlier with Mark during the break?” it was a clear deviation from whatever was happening but one I was grateful for.

“He was just being a dick to a contestant, it’s nothing special. ”

“Is that why you stood up to him; because he was being a dick to a contestant?”

“No,” I lied, “I stood up to him because he was being a dick period.” I brushed my hands against my thighs, “Can we just drop it? I don’t want to think about it.”

“I’m just saying; it’s not a big deal if you defended the girl.”

“I didn’t defend the girl; he was being a dick to me as well and I defended my brand. Can you drop it now?”

“Listen, it is okay to admit that you were looking out for someone other than yourself. It won’t hurt if people saw you as something other than the stone cold bitch they think you are.”

“Fuck you Nathan Cowe. You are not some special profiler or some behavioral analyst. You don’t know shit about me. I wasn’t defending her, I was defending myself. Why would I lie about that?”

This was escalating quicker than it should be, I was already riled up and there was no way I was going to be the bigger person and stop it when I had told him twice already to drop it and he refused.

“What do you think will happen if people knew that you cared? What are you so fucking afraid of that you’re willing to be seen as the devil incarnate when you’re anything but?”

“That’s a backhanded compliment if I have ever heard one.”

“Stop changing the subject Adira,” now he sounded frustrated himself, “What are you so afraid of?”

“I don’t want people to hurt them.” my hands flew over my mouth when I realized what I had said and the gravity of my words.

The room went deathly quiet for a second before Nathan broke it, “What did you say? ”

“I don’t want people to hurt them.” There was no taking it back now, “if people knew how much I cared, they would stop attacking me and attack the people and things I care about. I don’t give a shit what anyone does to me so yeah, I’m willing to be seen as the devil incarnate if it means protecting the people I care about. ”

I was breathing heavily by the time I was done and I buried my face into my hands.

“You don’t always have to be the villain,” I didn’t realize Nathan had moved close to me until he spoke.

“Oh please,” I scoffed, “It’s too late to be anything but and the truth is, I kind of like being the villain sometimes.”

“Funny,” he said and I looked up at him in confusion finally noticing our closeness and how if I moved a little, our noses would be touching.

“What is?”

“I kind of like you as the villain too.”

I was still trying to process his words when he leaned forward and kissed me. I was too shocked to react but I didn’t need to, because Nathan pulled back.

“I’m sorry, I should-,” I didn’t want to hear whatever bullshit excuse he was going to make up so I cut him off.

“It was a mistake, I get it,” I watched his entire body freeze but I didn’t want to dissect that, “We should go to sleep; we have a long day tomorrow.”

“I can take the floor,” his voice was cold and detached and a part of me wanted to ask why but another part knew ignorance would be bliss .

“We’re both adults; I’m sure we can handle sharing a bed for one night.” I cleared my throat before making my way to one edge of the bed, “Goodnight,”

“Yeah, goodnight.”