Page 25 of Erotic Temptations 1
A solid wall moved in front of me like the moon blocking out the sun.
“The pastry chef left these for staff.” Gabe lifted a glass dessert plate and held it inches from my face.
My eyes latched into it, a single point of focus instead of a million. My mind quieted instantly as I stared at a glossy chocolate bomb dusted with edible gold. There was a sugared cranberry on top and, I kid you not, a shard of brittle that lookedlike stained glass. Some people’s office snacks were vending machine trail mix. Here? It was edible architecture.
I took it from him, wondering if there was a right way to eat something this fancy.
I risked a bite.
First, the outer shell broke with a crisp snap, and the inside was some kind of chocolate-mousse situation with a pop of raspberry jam. I died on the spot and was resurrected as I savored the incredible taste of heaven.
Another bite made me giggle. Horrified, I pressed my lips together. Men didn’t giggle. It had been a lesson drilled into me.
Gabe watched all of this. His mouth curved into an unguarded smile. “Good?”
I had to swallow before I tried to answer. “I’m going to marry this sugar bomb.”
He let out a low laugh that was a dangerous to my sanity. “A marriage that lasts until the last bite.”
He let me finish the pastry, not rushing or appearing impatient. At least, not in a “let’s get moving” way. I tried to lick chocolate off my thumb without looking weird, which was scientifically impossible.
“Next stop. Laundry,” Gabe said. “I’m going to partner you with Mia. Something tells me you two would get along.”
Suddenly, we were at a steep little service hallway, all white doors and scuffs, the sort of corridor you only saw if you worked here or starred in a horror movie. Gabe punched in a code on the laundry door and held it open.
Was the hotel afraid someone would steal all their dryer sheets? I’d just never seen a lock on a laundry room, let alone a keypad.
Industrial whirring immediately hit my ears. I tumbled through, trying not to look like I’d never seen a laundry room before. This one was epic. Huge, humming machines lined bothwalls, stacked ceiling-high and vibrating in place. The air was hot and damp, full of that clean cotton smell, a hint of bleach, and a little bit of vanilla powder.
On the folding table, a mountain of towels and linens threatened to become sentient. The place was an actual jungle gym of laundry bins and color-coded bottles. I nearly tripped on a small rolling cart, but managed to hop over it. Gabe’s hand shot out again, just in case, and then retreated like he hadn’t wanted me to see what he’d done.
I wouldn’t object to him touching my arm again.
There was a tiny woman manhandling a twin-sized duvet into the open jaws of a washer. She wore a sweatshirt that read “NOPE” in a glittery font and wore her dark hair in a messy ponytail.
If the hotel had a house gnome, she’d be it. Less than five feet tall, hair a riot of black curls, she vibrated cheerful energy.
Noticing us, she wiped her hands on her pants, beaming as she bounced on her heels. “You’re new!”
I nodded. “I’m Cameron.”
She offered maybe the world’s tiniest handshake. Her grip was surprisingly strong, and she seemed delighted about it. Maybe she collected handshakes. The next one would probably have to involve jazz hands just to compete.
“Super nice to meet you.” Mia giggled, which made her seem like a real-life fairy. “I’m Mia. I do the laundry thing, but I also clean the honeymoon suites sometimes. But mostly I’m in here to keep towels from escaping.”
Gabe leaned against the door and folded his arms, watching us like he was taking mental notes. I found myself sneaking glances in his direction once or twice, quickly looking away whenever our eyes met. He did that a lot. Watching me. It should’ve been intimidating, but there was something in his gaze I found reassuring, even if I couldn’t hold it.
“You’ll love it here.” She pointed to one of the industrial washers and whispered, “It’s haunted. And don’t let the linen eat you.”
Even my brain didn’t know what to do with that, so I just nodded. “Thanks for the heads-up.”
Her eyes sparkled. “You’re welcome. If the dryer rattles, it means ghosts.”
She clearly lived in her own world, but I liked her.
A loud bang echoed from the hallway, startling us. I wished I’d played it cool. Instead, I did the startled-kitten freeze while Mia did a little hop, shooting me a wide-eyed look.
“Sorry!” someone called out as the world shifted back to normal, but I caught Gabe’s eyes on me.