AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Sorry,” I whisper, and his hand clenches around the shirt he’s still holding.
“Why are you apologizing?” He takes a step toward me.
“I don’t know.” I lick my lips.
His eyes drop to my mouth, and my pulse skips a beat.
Since that one time back at the hotel, he hasn’t given me a single indication that he’s wanted to kiss me again, but something hot and thick fills the air between us now, making it difficult to breathe. Making my pulse race.
I step back when I realize he’s still closing the distance between us.
“What are you doing, Elora?”
That’s a good question. What am I doing? This room is small, and it’s not like I can run away.
Do I even want to run away from him?
Before I can figure that question out in my head, he’s in my space.
Leaning…
Around me.
I watch him pick up his backpack, feeling lightheaded.
“I’ll be out in a few minutes.”
“S-Sure,” I stutter, watching him turn and head into the bathroom.
With my heart pounding, I fall to my bottom on the side of the bed and stare at the open bathroom door, hearing the shower turn on. Did I want him to kiss me? Yes. Am I disappointed he didn’t? Also, yes. The real question is, did he even want to kiss me? If he did, he would have. Wouldn’t he? I’m pretty sure the answer is yes, but not knowing for sure makes me feel off-balance and awkward. Not wanting to be in here when he gets out of the shower, I push off the bed and walk across the room.
“Roman.”
“Yeah?” he calls out over the sound of the shower.
“I’m going to go downstairs.”
“What?” He rips the curtain to the shower open enough to look out at me.
“I’m going to go down and talk to Jacqueline about the house across the street, so when you’re done, I’ll just meet you downstairs.”
“Give me ten minutes, and I’ll go with you.”
“It’s okay.” I back away from the door. “I’ll see you downstairs.”
“Elora,” he calls, but I ignore him as I grab my purse and leave the room, breathing a sigh of relief.
13
ROMAN
40.8021° N, 124.1637° W
Sitting up in bed with my laptop open in front of me, I’m only half looking over the document I need to sign. My attention is distracted by Elora, who’s been hiding in the bathroom since we got back to the room after walking around town and having dinner at one of the restaurants by the water. She was her normal, relaxed self while we were out, but the moment we got back to the room and were alone again, she immediately started to fidget. Not long after that, she said she was going to shower, then she locked herself in the bathroom, where she’s been for the past hour.
If I didn’t think that her being nervous was so fucking cute, I’d be annoyed with her for hiding from me.
Glancing at the bathroom door when I hear the blow dryer shut off—something she’s never once used in my presence—I listen and wonder what she’s going to do now to avoid coming to bed.
