Page 99 of Rogue's Path

Before I can get my credit card out, Peaches is handing hers to the Front Desk Clerk. “Peaches, what do you think you’re doing?”

“Paying. That’s part of the terms of our contract.”

That woman makes my head throb. “This trip is to deliver a bike for my company.”

“Tell me you would be staying in a suite if you weren’t with me.”

I can’t. It’s doubtful I would have stayed anywhere. The most I would have done is crash at a rest stop for a few hours.

“Charge it, please.”

This isn’t the end of the conversation.

As soon as we get into her room, I turn to her. “What was that all about?”

“Huh?”

“Don’t play games with me. You let me buy you expensive jewelry without a word of complaint. Then all of a sudden you’re insisting on paying for my room.”

“Those were two totally different things.”

“How exactly were they different, ma’am?”

“Don’t even.” She walks up and pokes my jacket. “You got me the jewelry because you plan on dating me. I let the price go because the store owner was such a jerk. He needed to know that we were unified. I didn’t want to undermine you. These rooms are all business. And I think that’s the same reason you didn’tsay anything else in front of the clerk. Which is another thing we have in common.”

How did she take all the irritation out of this would-be fight just like that?

“I really like all the things we have in common. What do you want to eat?”

Sleeping Together

Dylan

“You awake, Peaches?” Rogue’s gravelly voice asks from way too close.

“No.”

“Does this mean you’re not a morning person? Because that will be the first difference we found between the two of us.”

What? Why would my sleepy brain say that?

I pat my pillow, and it chuckles. “Please tell me that we didn’t sleep together.”

“We didn’t sleep together.”

“You’re lying.”

“No, I’m not. You asked me to repeat words, so I did.”

Pillows aren’t supposed to be snarky.

The chuckles get louder, and my head starts to bounce. I must have said that out loud.

“Do you need to sleep a while longer, or do you want to go for a hike before we leave?”

“A hike?”

“Yeah, there are some beautiful outlooks just a mile or two away. I thought we could order room service and then walk for a while. I already called down for a late checkout, so we’re good either way.”