Page 153 of Slumming It

On my way in, I'd been stopped at the front desk, who had then called security when I'd bolted past them. And, as if this wasn't bad enough, I'd had the terrible luck to bump intoMorgan of all people – and I meant that literally – as I'd scurried past the entrance to the spa just past the lobby.

After that, things had gone seriously downhill, resulting in a messy commotion that would've probably landed me in jail if Reese hadn't intervened.

Yup, he'd rescued me again.This was pretty ironic considering that I'd come here to rescuehimfor a change – or at the very least, clear up some mysteries for everyone involved.

In spite of Morgan's claims, my cardkey wasn't expired at all. It was working just fine, which was a darn good thing, considering that Reese hadn't been carrying a cardkey of his own when he'd left his suite.

Now he and I were sitting on opposite sofas – him on one side and me on the other with a long coffee table in-between.

Until today, we had always shared a single sofa, cuddled up side-by-side even when checking our phones or scrolling through whatever.

I was still glancing around when his voice, clipped and cool, snapped me back to the present. "I'm checking out at eight, so we need to make it quick."

He sounded like theoldReese, the one I'd first met in a much shabbier hotel.ThatReese had always been impatient, too.

But now I wasn't having it. "Oh, yeah?" I tried to laugh. "I wouldn’t worrytoomuch."

"And why's that?"

I dug deep and summoned up a smile. "Becauseyounever get kicked out of anywhere."

His lips didn't even twitch. "Is that what you came to say?"

My smile faded. "No."

In reply, he lifted his wrist and glanced at his watch – the same platinum one that had irked me in the beginning.

Now it was irking me again, but for entirely different reasons. I asked, "Is that a hint?"

"Who's hinting?" he said. "I already told you, I'm on a schedule."

His sharp demeanor reminded me how much I had hated him back in the beginning, when I'd believed him to be a billionaire bigshot spoiled from birth.

But he wasn't that guy.I knew this now. Somewhere beneath that icy exterior was a better, sweeter guy deserving of love – and not only from me.

I took a deep, calming breath and just said it. "I talked to my mom, and I know your real name."

He didn't even blink. "Yeah, you and a few million other people."

"I'm not talking about Reese Murdock." I kept my gaze glued to his face. "I'm talking about Buddy Reed. Rememberhim?"

Reese shook his head. "Doesn't ring a bell."

I didn't bother hiding my disbelief. "Yeah, right."

"And if you're trying to blackmail me, forget it."

"Seriously? Is that what you think? That I'm here toextortyou?"

"I don't know. Are you?"

"Oh, please," I said. "If I wanted to extort you, I'd be talking about other stuff."

He looked only mildly curious. "Yeah? Like what?"

"Well…" I tried to think. "Like the fact that you snore."

Now he looked insulted. "I do not."