Page 46 of The Haunted Hotel

“I’m fine,” he replies, brushing off my question. “Anyway, back to your hotel.”

“It’s not mine.”

“You know what I mean.”

“It’s really quiet here. They only have one guest.”

“You’re kidding.”

I shake my head. “I honestly don’t know how they’re keeping this place running. It’s empty, so it’s clearly not making any money. There’s almost no staff, the building itself is in desperate need of updating, but…”

“But what?”

“There’s something almost charming about the hotel. It’s spotless and well cared for despite needing an update. The food so far has been outstanding, and it may only have a handful of staff, but those who are here love this place. You can tell how committed they are to it.”

“What will happen to your grandfather if it closes down?” Warren asks, echoing the same thought that had occurred to me yesterday. “Will it just revert to being a family residence instead of a hotel?”

“Couldn’t say.” I frown, recalling how Ellis had casually mentioned figuring out how to save the hotel. “It doesn’t look as if there’s enough money to keep it running. I need a better understanding of what’s going on. My grandfather may not particularly want me here, but the fact remains that, as far as I’m aware, I am his only living relative. And as inconvenient as it is, I kinda feel like?—”

“Like he’s your responsibility?”

I go silent for several long moments after his interruption, trying to get my aching head around my random thoughts.

“You forget I know you, Morgan, and as prickly as you are ninety percent of the time, there is no one I know who takes on more responsibility than you. You’re a good man.”

“Urgh, it’s too early for this shit.” I rub my face again.

Warren chuckles deeply. “So, are you staying for a while?”

“I don’t really have a choice. I’m snowed in,” I lament. “I couldn’t leave right now even if I wanted to.”

“Snowed in with the hot twinky blonde?” The smirky tone of his voice is back. “Some might call that serendipity.”

“And some might call it bad weather and poor planning,” I return dryly, feeling my head pulse again. “I can’t believe I even got on the damn plane in the first place.”

“Then why did you?”

“Because you told me to,” I grumble under my breath.

“Since when have you ever done anything I’ve told you?” he points out. “I’m the younger sibling, as you’re so fond of reminding me. You got on that plane because you know deep down this is something you need to resolve. You need this closure.”

He’s right, but I’m not about to admit it because he’ll be insufferable until the end of days. “You should get some sleep,” I reply, hearing the slight slur of his words and the tiredness in his voice. “You’re going to have your hands full with work until I can get back.”

“I’ll manage just fine.” He yawns loudly. “Because, unlike you, Mr Control Freak, I know how to delegate instead of trying to micromanage everyone and everything.”

“Fuck you,” I mumble, but there’s no heat behind my words because, again, he has a point. I do like to control my environment, it makes me feel secure.

“Now go and offer that gorgeous receptionist a blow job. It will make you feel better,” he declares with a little too much glee. “You’re too uptight.”

“Goodnight, Warren.” I sigh and hang up the phone before he can put any more ideas in my head about Ellis. I have absolutely no doubt that I would thoroughly enjoy giving him a blow job, but that doesn’t mean it’s a good idea.

I stare down at my dick, which is enthusiastically tenting the front of my pyjama pants.

“That’s enough out of you,” I mutter quietly. “You don’t get to have an opinion.”

Looking at the mess of blankets and sheets on the floor and then at the bare mattress on the bed, I frown. I don’t understand how everything ended up on the floor, me included. I shake my head and, ignoring the dull thud, scoop up the bedding and dump it back on the bed. There’s a good chance I’m not going to get any more sleep; what I need most right now is a shower and then some really strong coffee.

Carefully placing my phone back on the nightstand, I head into the bathroom and switch the light on. My cock aches and no matter how much I try to wrangle my wayward thoughts back into order, fragments of my dream flicker back throughmy mind: my hands gliding over smooth skin, soft lips pressed against mine, the hot tangle of tongues, a slim body beneath me.