Page 23 of Consumed By You

I don’t even bother looking at him. “You’re right.”

***

I jolt awake hearing the chime for seat belts to be fastened. We’re landing, and I was sleeping on his damn shoulder.

God.

I sit up straight and rub my flushed face, mortified. “I’m sorry.”

“I didn’t mind.” He smiles kindly, looking up from his computer.

“We’re here? How long was I sleeping?”

“A couple hours.”

I catch sight of my reflection in the window and want to shoot myself. My hair is completely flat on one side. I run my fingers through it, trying to make it look decent again. It doesn’t work. Thankfully, I wore barely any makeup or that would probably be sliding down my face by now.

“Buckle up.” He shuts his computer and sits back.

***

Dimitri drives to park the car as we head into the Fairmont Olympic Hotel.

“This is beautiful.” I grin, enjoying the classic splendor around me in the wide reception area. Benjamin looks over at me in amusement while checking in.

Of coursehe has the penthouse. I lean toward Benjamin as the bellhop collects our things.

“The penthouse has another place for me to sleep, right? I won’t be sleeping in the same room with you?” I ask him in a hushed tone once we’re in the elevator.

“Not unless you want to.” He grins before shaking his head, realizing by the look of annoyance on my face that I don’t find that comment amusing at all. “Darcy, it has more than one room. You don’t have to worry.”

He laughs, possibly because he knows how hard it is to resist him. Benjamin reaches into his jacket, takes out his leather wallet, and hands the man a tip.

“Thank you, sir. If you need anything, anything at all, don’t hesitate to press that button.” He shuts the door behind him and we’re alone.

No one to save me now.

“Where’s Dimitri? He doesn’t stay here too?” I hum nervously, bending down to smell the red flowers on the table.

“No. Doris used to stay here too so we could work.” I glance up at him and he’s staring at me, hands in his pockets, a troubled look on his face.

“Can I get you something to drink? Eat?”

Somehow this doesn’t feel like something he used to do with Doris. This feels intimate.

“I’m good.”

“Let me show you to your room.” He picks up my bags and I follow him to the adjacent room. It’s as stunning as I expected it to be when I entered the lobby. There’s evenchampagnein my room. I lift the bottle and gasp.

He regards me fondly from the threshold.

“So, the fundraiser is tomorrow. What is the dress code? Business casual?” I shrug, trying to act professional. I’m failing miserably.

“Formal. I took the liberty of getting you some gowns to choose from, I hope you don’t mind. They’re in the closet.”

“Oh, thank you.”

With a polite nod, he leaves the room and I find myself able to finally think. I throw off my deathtrap heels and unzip my luggage, pulling out my clothes to hang up. Three whole days. So much can happen in three whole days.